Book One: Love Is Our Weapon
by kissmeintherain26
Summary: Dark eyed dreamers, they were a dangerous pair. Blayne Tonks is the third in a trio of pranksters. Thrilling danger and explosive changes hide behind every corner at Hogwarts. But what will happen when love is found in unexpected places? Book One of the series. Rating for a few chapters in. Fred/OC
1. Introductions

My name is Blayne Tonks and I am sixteen years old. I live in Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon, England with my mum, dad, and older sister a few months out of the year and live in a boarding school during the duration of the school season. I'm just your typical teenager living a typical teenage life.

Oh yeah. And I'm a witch.

I was born that way, as was my mum's entire family, along with my dad. He comes from a non-magical family, who we wizards and witches call Muggles. You've probably heard of my family. My mum's name is Andromeda Tonks but her maiden name is Andromeda Black. Yeah, the "most noble and ancient house"? Those are my ancestors. A lot to live up to, huh? Anyways, she met my dad, Ted Tonks, at Hogwarts and they got married soon after. Her parents didn't really approve of the relationship and disowned my mum. I'm quite proud, really, to say that my mum gave up her heritage, family, and fortune for love.

Anyways, they soon popped out a little darling baby, Nympadora Tonks. Yeah, she _totally_ hates her name... so I call her by our surname, Tonks, or by my nickname for her, Nymph. A lot of years later, my mum decided she really wanted another baby to hold, and thus, I was born on March 26th, 1979. My name is just as crazy as my sisters: Andromache Blayne Tonks. I prefer to go by Blayne and will unleash my fury upon any person who uses my real name. Even Dumbledore knows not to use it. Although that slime ball Snape hasn't caught on yet.

I am in my sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, like every single one of my ancestors. It's kind of been a tradition in my family. When I was eleven, I was placed into the Gryffindor House along with my best friends. I was the first child in all Black history to be sorted into Gryffindor House, the mortal enemy of their house allegiance, Slytherin. Whatever.

When I was eleven, my wand chose me. It is a gorgeous eleven inch, cherry wood wand with a phoenix feather core. I don't go anywhere without it.

I'm actually quite like my sister, despite our large age difference (she is twenty-two and I am sixteen, a six year age gap). Like Nymph, I am a metamorphmagus and can change my appearance at will.

However, something you probably _didn't_ know is that metamorphmagi are born with distinct physical characteristics like any other baby. Most metamorphmagi choose to keep these markings throughout their lives, and they are very pronounced when the person is angry, upset, or tired. I myself was born with deep purple hair that flowed to my waist, bright blue eyes, full lips, and purplish thin eyebrows. If I do not change, I am petite with wide hips and a C-cup bust. I am 5'2", with all my height in my legs, a fact that often hinders me from... well, graceful movements.

Something else that you probably haven't heard of is the tradition of the Black family. There is a family female tradition in my ancestor line, even if you have been disowned. Every Black daughter has one since beginning of time. I was born with a triple crescent moon in a circle on the upper inside of my left thigh. The tattoo represents the Maiden, Mother, and Crone as the waxing, full, and waning moon. This symbol is also associated with feminine energy, mystery, and psychic abilities, as well as the Lady, or Goddess, the _feminine polarity_ of the universe. The circle around the entire thing represents the Black family as a whole; once you are born into the family, you cannot get out. It reminds us that we are all connected. The symbol as a whole suggests that we choose our own path- good or evil. The tattoo also has noble and ancient qualities. The centre triple moon symbolizes the strong women in the family as well as mystery and femininity. I cannot change this brand even if I tried.

Along with this marking, I also like to keep a few tattoos on my body that I don't change through metamorphmagus. I have a rose on my right shoulder blade and a series of stars above my left hipbone. There is the phrase "_Live in the Moment_" around my right ankle as well.

Now that you know how I appear, you'd probably like to know about how I act, right? Well, I'm clumsy like my sister. I suppose you could say that I am fun- loving and silly, and my friends would probably say I'm caring, understanding, righteous, and easily annoyed. I have a fiery temper and stand up for myself and what I believe in. I'm fiercely loyal and not afraid to do whatever necessary to get what I want. I'm kind of the poster child for the sign of Aries.

I'm in a trio. My two best friends are Fred and George Weasley. We met when we were barely toddlers, and I can't remember a memory that they're not in. We spend almost every waking hour together, and I can't imagine my life without them.

I'm good acquaintances with most all the Gryffindors and the Golden Trio, as I like to call them. However, I tend to be quite bitchy with other girls. Their catty attitudes don't mix well with mine. I spend time with the boys in the tower more than anything else.

My mum would say I'm beautiful and smart, my dad would say I'm unique, my sister would say I'm just like her, George would say I'm a riot, and Fred would say I'm just _me_.

My name is Blayne Tonks, and my story begins in the summer of 1995 when I was sixteen years old.

_This story begins in "Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix" and continues through the series._


	2. Welcome to the Noble House of Black

**The Wizarding World is property of Ms. Rowling. I only own Blayne and the story line. Hope you like it.**

"Blayne!" Mum cried, seemingly upset that I had, once again, changed my nose to a pig snout in front of a baby boy. We were on the maternity floor of St. Mungo's and I was sitting with my mum in the newly-born room. I had gone to work with her because I had not wished to stay home in an empty house with nothing to do but write letters to everyone who I couldn't be with because of the threat of Voldemort.

All this because my over-protective parents wanted me to spend the summer at our small house instead of at the Burrow, where I really wanted to be. It was still early in the summer. I had only been out of school for about two weeks, but I still missed all my mates.

I tried explaining, holding my hands out in a peace offering. "I was just having a bit of fun, Mum, you know, with not being able to see any of my mates and all."

"Blayne, I know that you miss your friends but you have to understand that with the threat of-" She was cut off before she could utter the vile word.

A voice hissed in our direction and suddenly a whirl of purple flashed by us. "Mum, Blayne! Come." Our hands were tugged in the direction of an empty maternity room. "_Silencio_."

"Nymphadora! What is going on?" Mum said, frazzled and confused.

"It's Him. We are bringing the Order back to defend each other. I must get you to the new headquarters. We have to go. Come on! It's the only safe place," Nymphadora explained in a rush.

"But... why? He-Who-Must-" I backtracked as Mum glared at me. "_He_ hasn't done anything yet. We're okay right now."

But I knew I was lying to myself. Cedric's death hadn't been nothing. I hugged myself, wrapping my arms around my stomach as I remembered the tragedy.

"Cedric's death wasn't an accident, B. We're watching him, and he hasn't done anything recently, yes, but we know he has already murdered once and attempted to take Harry's life as well. We think he's building up his army secretly. Harry says he's back, and there is no reason for him to have lied. I have to get you to Headquarters. _He_ won't stop until he gets what he wants. He'll start killing soon. The Order has decided on a meeting place and safe-house, and everybody is being sent there. I won't let you be next." Nymphadora hugged me to her side and I stared up at her, understanding her worry.

"Stop it Nymphadora. Nobody is going to die. Don't be so melodramatic." Mum said the words, but the look in her eyes said she didn't believe a word of what she was saying. "What do we need to do?" Mum pulled me from my sister and took my hand in hers, nodding resolutely. I felt like I was two again and being carted around without being asked about it.

Tonks grabbed our hands gently. "We have to go to Headquarters Mum. I've gone home already, packed our bags, and apparated them there. We can't delay any longer."

No sooner had she said it then we were standing on a dingy, scary little Muggle street; it looked like it housed more murderers and rapists than the whole of London combined. An edge of damp, torn paper was shoved into my fist. _Number 12 Grimmauld Place _was inscribed in slanted, sophisticated handwriting and I immediately recognized it as Dumbledore's.

I repeated the words over in my mind curiously, trying to discover what they meant. My mum had mentioned Grimmuald Place before, when she had told us about her life as a Pureblood. I had no idea why we would be going to a place that my estranged ancestors used to inhabit. When I looked up, a house was squeezing itself into the space between two other apartment buildings, the Muggles inside oblivious.

"Let's go then." Mum opened the door and we all walked in like it was the most natural thing in the world. After all, I had seen stranger things.

As I walked over the threshold and into the scary little haunted house, I tripped over a disgusting umbrella stand, catching myself before I fell flat. Leave it to me to trip on the first thing I see.

"Urg…" I mumbled, straightening myself. Simultaneously, an old woman's voice started screeching about "Mudbloods and Blood Traitors coming to infiltrate and contaminate her wonderful, pureblood house". What the bloody hell?

_Pop_.

"Always had to have an entrance," a voice came from behind me, steadying the stand by its ugly corner. Another came from next to my ear, steadying _me_ by the waist.

"Yeah, we'd know that charming stumble-and-moan routine anywhere."

"FRED! GEORGE!" I turned around and enveloped Fred in a hug, knowing that he had been the twin who had whispered in my ear by his voice alone. "I've missed you!" Because of my height compared to his, my arms had to reach up high to make it to his neck, my face smooshing into his chest. There was something slightly different about when I hugged him this time, like tiny sparks were going off where I touched him.

"Everybody misses us," George joked and hugged me when I let go of Fred. George's hug, in contrast to Fred's, was the same as it had always been- a comforting touch that I missed when we were apart.

"We've missed you too, Blaynie."

I tried to revel in the happiness of seeing them. However, our reunion wasn't as sweet as it could have been, with ten adults bustling into the room to shut that mother fleebing woman up. This house was so strange!

"Hurry, let's get away before they realize we've gone," George whispered mischievously in one of my ears. Fred then placed his hand right above my ass and George slung his arm 'round my shoulders and I smiled. It was nice to be back where I belonged. I groaned uncomfortably as I felt the swirling sensation of side-apparition. Merlin I hated that. I still felt Fred's hand on my backside, tethering me down as I swirled through nothing land. I experienced zings of pleasant sparks swirling from the place where his hand was and creeping around to my lower stomach where they settled. That was annoying.

"So this is the infamous House of Black, eh?" I asked, looking around me.

Fred nodded. "But for our purposes, it's the Order of the Phoenix's new headquarters."

George started babbling at me as soon as we appeared in a bleak room. There were two ornate, dungy twin beds and two matching dressers. "You're going to be rooming with Ginny. We're the one across the hall. So unpack and come over. We need your help figuring out how much boar's foot to put in this new invention."

Fred began speaking. "We'll explain later, it's complicated and giving us loads of trouble-"

"And that's why we need your help. It's going to be-"

"A portable swamp. One of the best inventions yet!"

"Okay, okay. Now stop bothering me!" I grinned and turned around to take all the junk out of my bags. I was trying to shake the feelings from my body that Fred had unknowingly invoked, but it was harder than it seemed. So I just settled for dealing with the feelings and trying my best to hide them from my mates, like I had been doing since the end of school. "I'll be over there as soon as this is done."

_Pop._

"Bye," I mumbled into thin air, knowing they had left already and they couldn't hear my farewell.

"Blayne!" The heavy door flung open with a bang.

"Ginny!" I squealed and ran over to her, dropping what I was doing. The sister of my best mates enveloped me in a hug with her tiny arms.

"Blaynie, I've missed you so much!" We were mostly the same height, only she was 2 years younger.

"Gin, you have no idea." I sighed, content now that I was with my second family, and for a second let myself forget about the Fred predicament.

"I think I do! Well it looks like you need some help unpacking. Seriously, how much clothes did you bring?" She giggled when she saw my 2 trunks bulging at the seams.

I smirked. "Yeah well… I'm a teenage girl. I'm allowed to over pack, right?" We turned around and burst out laughing at my sister's horrible packing job. "So like Nymph."

I pulled open the top of the trunks, struggling with the clasps. When I finally popped the clutch, scrambled clothes fell out. Looking at the array, I realized that Nymph must have used an enlarging spell, because a trunk which appeared to fit 20 things was now magically enhanced to carry as many as 40 items. Each case was close to being full, as well. The trunk by Ginny held my makeup, accessories, and 6 pairs of shoes. The clothes were strewn across and tangled in each other in the trunks, as Tonks never was very good at household spells.

"Merlin!" Gin gasped, looking at all the accessories.

"Well I guess this means we'll probably be staying for the remainder of the summer then." The clothes started to magically put themselves away, albeit not in any order and with many of the items wrinkly and worn. "I have to teach my sister how to do simple spells! Really, it isn't that hard to do a correct household packing and unpacking spell." I huffed, looking at the mess of a room. I would deal with that later.

I turned to tell Ginny I was going to help her brothers, but I was saved the trouble as Molly whisper-shout her daughter's name up the stairs.

Ginny wrinkled up her nose at the sound. "What does she want now?" Another loud hiss came and the younger girl stuck her tongue out at the door. "I'll see you later Blayne. I best go see what she wants." A thought struck me as she turned to leave- the reason we were all here in the first place.

"Just… be careful okay? The whole reason we're here in this gods-forsaken death trap is because of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. We have to stay close. You have to promise me you'll stay safe okay? I know you didn't mean to do the Chamber of Secrets bollocks but I can't have another heart attack like that again, okay?" I wagged my finger at her, shutting out the terrible memories of my third year at Hogwarts. She nodded solemnly and shut the door behind her. I sighed, shoving the terror of the situation into the back of my mind, and then went to find the nuisance twins.

* * *

The next morning I woke up to shaking. I groaned and snuggled down deeper into my sheets. The shaking got worse.

Rolling over and peering through a tiny crack in my eyelids, I noticed Ginny sitting on my bed and grinning down at me as she hopped up and down. I glared at her menacingly and the shaking stopped. She had the decency to look chagrined, at least.

"What the bloody hell? It's too early to be up." I turned over and shoving my face into my pillow to go back to sleep.

"Mum told me to wake you. It's breakfast time. After we eat she wants us to help clean, as well," Ginny replied.

"Is that supposed to make me want to get up? 'Cause it's not," I muttered.

"Oh just get up you sod."

"Yeah, you heard the youngster, get you're arse out of that bloody bed," a deep voice stated after a faint '_pop'_ was heard.

My voice was muffled from the pillow when I muttered, "Fred, shut the bloody hell up."

George popped in. "Damn, how do you always know us apart?"

"When a girl's been around you two for as long as I have, it's second nature. Just look at yourselves. You're completely different," I yawned.

I sat up in my quite uncomfortable bed and stretched my arms above my head. I was tight and stiff, a result of tossing and turning all night and only getting about three hours of sleep. I moved to the dust-ridden wardrobe where I had arranged all my clothes the day before.

I was wearing my sleep clothes- a quite revealing red tank top that showed a lot of cleavage and a pair of black short shorts that ended just after my butt. The shorts and tank displayed two of my tattoos, the phrase on my ankle and the rose on my shoulder. I could barely move. I was so rigid it hurt. I stretched up onto my tippy- toes and pulled my arms high above my head, my chest heaving out (showing even more cleavage) and the shirt rising above my belly button to show my flat stomach, belly- button ring, and series of star tattoos right above my left hipbone. I dropped my arms and bended one leg up to my butt to stretch out the weakened muscles there, pulling my foot and releasing. I repeated with the other foot and then sighed. I was all loosened up and it felt so good to stretch my sleepy muscles.

When I turned around, Fred was staring at my boobs, almost drooling. I looked at him, laughing shortly. He was such a man. You would think that with all the girls at Hogwarts at his disposal, he would be used to seeing a girl show a little skin. But I digress.

I rolled my eyes and tried to ignore him, turning back to lift the duvet up and make the bed. Maybe it had to do with the way my friend was looking at me, like I was something he wanted to devour, but another heat wave zinged through my body as I grumbled. I could still feel his heated gaze on my backside. This heat was going to get annoying if it happened every time Fred did something sexual at all. I mind as well just get some ice cubes now, what with all Fred's sexual comments and gazes. It was just second nature to him. I turned around and put a hand on my hip. I needed to show myself that it was nothing, that Fred was just being his usual self. Ginny and George were completely oblivious and were engaging in their own playful banter. I winked at my best mate.

"See anything you like?" I muttered.

"Oh yeah." Fred's eyes raked up my body once more and when he got to my eyes, his mouth quirked up. I licked my lips and turned my back to him, going over to the wardrobe. The temptation was too much, and the stakes were too high. This was a dangerous game to play.

He took it upon himself to apparate over to the musty wardrobe just one second before I got there. I rolled my eyes at his antics and he pulled out a tank top, matching knee-highs, and thigh- high booty shorts along with my Converse.

"Oh thanks, you have such good taste," I snipped sarcastically. This was kind of what my wardrobe consisted of.

Fred's reply was matter-of-fact. "I know." I rolled my eyes at his obnoxiousness.

"What about pants for cleaning on a dark, damp Thursday morning?" I knew I was going to get cold. Didn't Fred ever think about those things, or was his mind permanently stuck in the gutter?

"Nah, shorts much more comfortable for... bending. And anyways, you've got those gorgeous legs. Why not show 'em off a bit?" His eyes twinkled, and a little heat pooled into my lower half. I shook my head to stop the strange thoughts from settling in my brain.

"I'm gunna get cold Fred," I whined and pouted a little. Without waiting for a response, I turned to George. "So, Georgie, do you think you can pull your brother out of here long enough to let me change?"

"Let's go loverboy." George grabbed his brother's arm, smiling his usual smile, and apparated to their room. I sighed. The strange feeling of wanting something more-then-sisterly with Fred was starting to get on my nerves. It was unsettling and annoying to think these things about him. And it was getting more frequent. Since the month before we left for school, I'd been feeling some strange, unusual things towards my best friend.

I turned around and shed my pajamas to put on some more appropriate clothing.

Smiling to myself, I pulled on the outfit Fred had picked out for me. I smiled at his selection- he knew me well. I added just two pieces of clothing to his picks- a smiley face thong and a red and black pushup bra. Ginny waited impatiently while I pulled on my tank and shorts, and when I went over to my makeup, she let out an angry huff.

"Shut up, you know I'm not a morning person!" I grumbled as I carefully put on my black eyeliner with a slightly unsteady hand. I added a little pink blush, chapstick, and mascara. I bit my lip as I stared at my reflection, concentrating and watching bright red highlights shimmer into my deep purple locks. Then I looked to Ginny and smiled.

"Now I'm done. You can stop your huffing and puffing, you unhappy little girl." I smirked and ran out the door before she could catch me and make me regret saying she was little. If there was anything Ginny hated, it was being reminded she was the tiniest and youngest.

I jumped down the stairs and skipped into the kitchen where the whole group was sitting down and dishing out healthy helpings of eggs, bacon, toast, and the like. I smiled and took my seat between Ginny and Sirius.

After we ate with the usual vigor, we all got to work on cleaning. Molly ordered Ginny, Lupin, Hermione, and me to work on one of the scary spare bedrooms upstairs on floor three. I learned how to sanitize the rooms in the house and how to clean the furnishings. Despite a few slip ups and a cut on my forehead from slipping on the rug in the room, nothing unusual happened. It was an uneventful and rather boring day, and when it was time for dinner everybody was relieved.

Being in the beloved house of the people that shunned my mother was giving me the heebie-jeebies, and I had only been there for a day. I didn't want anything to do with my heritage, but it still stung when I thought about Malfoy in his lush little castle with his posh clothes and buckets of Galleons. We could have that. But no, the family I was born into hated us. They viewed us as traitors, as vermin. How could they judge my sister and me for something we had no control over? They had no right to cast us out of the family because my mother followed her heart. Just because they didn't know what a heart was doesn't mean it was fair for them to take away everything she had, everything my mum was entitled to. Everything my sister and I were entitled to.

So this is what it's like in the house of my ancestors, huh? Stuffy people, if you ask me.


	3. Settling In

**J.K. owns all.**

Hermione sighed in exasperation. "I cannot believe Dumbledore won't let us tell Harry anything that's going on. I feel really awful. He's probably going mad right now."

Professor Dumbledore had stopped by the previous night and forbidden any of us to communicate with Harry and telling him 'more than he needs to know'. What bullshit. Harry Potter is the Boy Who Lived. He _needs_ to know everything.

"He's gunna be livid," I commented about the whole mess. "Merlin knows, I'd be furious. Stuck in that horrid house with those bloody Muggles who doing give flying dragon's dung about him, not knowing what his mortal enemy- who, by the way, tried to kill him just a few weeks ago - is doing, not even knowing that that same mortal enemy is doing _nill_."

"Yeah we know. He's going to be upset." Ginny sighed, as if regretfully. "But it's not like there's anything we can do. I tried to weasel out of being a there when he spoke, so I could say I could tell Harry because Dumbledore didn't really tell _me_ specifically -"

"Ginny!" Molly cried out exasperatedly. The older woman stared at her youngest, annoyed, and held her head, probably wondering how another one of her children turned rogue.

"- but he caught me. I can only imagine how upset I'd be about it all. It's probably safe to assume he's going to start yelling when he gets here and figures it out. He's not stupid, and it probably feels like we're all betraying him." Ginny dropped her head into her hand with a _thunk_ and pushed around her food with her fork.

"We'll just have to do our best to explain it to him and take the brunt of his anger. For all that is magical, he has nobody else to scream at," Ron noted.

Hermione frowned. "Especially after Cedric's death and all. I just feel so bad for Harry. He just can't catch a break."

"Well when he comes, George and I can surely calm him down with some-" Fred started.

"Comic relief," George finished for his twin.

I snorted. "Yeah, the twins can always find a way to diffuse the tension. It's just about the only thing they're good at."

"Hey!" they cried in unison.

"Hey Ron, can you hand me the mashed potatoes?" Lupin asked politely, changing the subject. Ron nodded and passed the potatoes down to Tonks, who precariously positioned the bowl in her hands and passed it to Hermione. Everyone sighed in relief when the mashed potatoes cleared Tonks, but then they ended up in my hands.

I thrust the bowl over the table to Lupin, and just as he reached forward to grasp it, I let go. He hadn't had a good grip, and it fell onto the table, splashing mushy vegetable everywhere. I squealed loudly, my voice lost in the other surprised outcries, as I pulled my hand up over my face, too late. I was caked in the food, and even my face was plastered in it. I lowered my arm, looking around me stunned.

It was silent for a few seconds. All of a sudden, nearly everyone was laughing, their faces lit up. Sirius had a hand on his stomach and was letting out a boisterous sound, Lupin was chuckling quietly, Molly was letting out little homely mum sounds, Fred and George were falling out of their chairs, and Ginny and Hermione were giggling like mad. I started to laugh at all their faces, letting out my own awkward laugh as I wiped little bits of mush off my face.

"Sorry Molly… my fault…" I was in full- fledged laughter now, wiping furiously at my eyes. She smiled through her own laughter-tears.

"Don't worry darling. Perfectly fine!" she giggled happily as she swished her wand to make the mess on the table disappear. Muttering "_Scourgify_", Tonkscleaned me off as best she could and I looked around, still laughing slightly. Some people, like the Weasley brothers, still had tears in their eyes, but most had calmed down.

"Well, Blayne that was the most fun we've had in a while. Thank you," Lupin snorted, the smile brightening his face. I loved when Lupin laughed. It made him look 10 years younger. I think my sister had the same idea, what with the way she was staring at him and all.

"Well I'm glad my clumsy tendencies can cause _some_ good." I wasn't really embarrassed about it anymore because of so many and so often accidents.

"That was certainly entertaining. Everyone seems to be about done, so I'll take to cleaning and then perhaps we'll relax in the living room that we disinfected yesterday," Molly suggested.

"I call the Wizard Chess set!" Ron called childishly. Though, I suppose that when you've grown up with five brothers and a sister, it's pretty understandable to feel the need to stake your claim.

George grumbled. "Oi! I wanted to beat the jumpers off Tonks!"

"Too bad, Georgie-porgie. Ronnykinz and I are gunna show you how it's done." I jumped up from my chair, which promptly fell over, picked it up without caring, and then hopped out of the kitchen and into the living room. I grabbed the chess set and put it on a small coffee table that I distinctly remember removing copious amounts of mold off yesterday evening, and grabbed a chair for Ron to sit on. I plopped onto the couch and seconds later everyone else was filing into the room. We each took a seat, Ron and I around the chess set and Fred and George on the couch on either side of me.

"Looks like ickle Ronnykinz might not win chess for the first time in forever." George smirked. Ron's ears heated.

"Why George, I think this may be the first time Ron's ever played a game with a girl." Fred winked at me and I shook my head. Oh the gall of these boys.

Ron folded his arms across his chest. "Oi, can we just get on with the game?"

I nodded and Ron made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "Ladies first."

"Always the perfect gentleman, Ronnie."

With a wave of my wand, the first pawn moved forward and started to battle Ron's piece. I'll spare you the details, but as we played, George and Fred took bets and made jokes with us all as I beat the sodden pants off Ronald. In the end, I won by a landslide.

Chuckling, I proceeded to put the chess set away, my opponent looking very beat.

"Sorry Ron. Next time, eh old chap?" I smiled at him, turning his ears a red again. "Oh stop blushing." I screwed up my eyes and my face turned dark purple. "Or you'll turn into this! You know, I do think I look rather like that Uncle Vernon fellow Harry's always expressing his hate for."

I screwed it up again, turning my nose very pig- like and my face chubby and my eyebrows fuzzy and overgrown. "Doesn't he describe that Muggle just like this?"

"That's got to be it. If only Harry could see you now!" Ginny giggled. I fixed my eyes up and remembered that picture of Sirius's mum that yelled at me last night when I tripped over the troll's leg umbrella stand.

When I opened my eyes, everyone burst out laughing. In fact, I really thought that Sirius might fall on the floor in epileptic shock because of the fun he was getting out of this. I turned my face back to normal with a shudder. "Ugh I feel all yucky and old and pureblood and ew."

"Oooh, oooh, pick me!" George stuck his hand in the air like an overexcited five-year-old, and with a wave of his hand, I was drenched in ice cold water.

"GEORGE WEASLEY!" I screeched and snarled at him. "What the fu- udging dragon eggs?" My eyes blazed as I caught myself against swearing as both my parents were in the room (they were visiting for a bit that night). Suddenly, the portrait of the fat old woman herself started screeching about mudbloods and filthy half- breeds and girls who think they're better than everyone when all they are is filth. Sirius, still laughing, Remus, my parents, and Molly fled the room to shut her up.

Wordlessly, Tonks waved me dry and put a warming spell on me.

I huffed and started to dig into George when I caught Fred's eyes. They were staring straight at me, intensely, as if he could see straight through me and into my soul. I found myself stuck, staring into his eyes, getting lost in their blue depths. I was falling into an almost hypnotic daze when my parents entered the room, smiling sadly.

I shook myself out of it and looked towards them. "Mummy, Daddy! Going so soon?" I asked, frowning.

"Well dearest," my mum came and sat next to me, taking hold of my hand, "it looks like you're in excellent hands here and Daddy and I have to get back to work, and we can't leave the house."

"Yes honey. I don't know if we'll be able to come 'round much, so if we don't see you before school, know we love you," my dad explained. "And now you've got Fred and George and Ginny all the other Weasleys and everyone else who's here. Owl us often!" He smiled and kissed my forehead. "Sorry pumpkin."

"We love you. Take care, love." Mum smiled at me and kissed my cheek. "Stay out of trouble and don't make Molly have to owl me. Take care of the boys," she looked to Fred and George, "and keep your sister from falling too much, and, for Merlin's sake, please don't singe your eyebrows off again!"

"Take care of my baby girl," my dad instructed the twins strictly.

"Of course sir," George nodded like an army general. He raised his hand to his forehead and saluted my dad. I rolled my eyes.

"_Please_ don't get into too much trouble. Don't side-apparate often because you two are new at it… and you better not cause too many explosions! Every time I see her, her trousers have a new tear!" Mum let out a string of instructions to them.

"Mum I'm not three!" I complained.

"We won't let anything happen to her, ma'am. And sir, let me assure you that we will take the utmost care of Blayne to the extent of our ability." Fred was being stupid, and my parents just rolled their eyes, used to his antics after sixteen years. Fred nudged me in the shoulder and winked. _There goes that heat again_, I thought. Both parents came up to me and hugged me, Mum first.

"I love you Mummy."

She smiled and squeezed me, and then pulled back to kiss both cheeks before whispering closely to me.

"Fred's quite taken with you, love. Don't break his heart too badly."

Before I could protest that it wasn't like that, she was backing up to let my dad have a chance.

"Love you baby girl." He kissed my forehead then whispered in my ear. "I've known Fred all his life, and I still can't wrap my head around him. But if you must be with him, go ahead darling. Take care," he muttered. My eyes widened and I squeaked out, "No it's not-" before steeling myself and nodding.

"Love you Daddy. See you soon. Take care of Mum."

And then the two of them went to the foyer and picked up their coats, waving farewell to Molly and Arthur.

"Wish we could've stayed longer!" Mum called, before smiling at me, waving, grabbing Dad's hand, and walking out the door. I waved to their backs and turned back, sighing.

"Well then. Whatcha guys wanna do?" I asked, smiling.

"Uh…" George mumbled, looking between Fred and me. I hoped they'd come up with something quick; I needed something to keep my mind off of the fact that _both_ my parents thought Fred and I had something going on.

"Let's go see if we can't figure out how to integrate this doxy egg into a product." And then Fred apparated me upstairs to his room.

* * *

"No don't-!" I yelled, too late. George dropped an eye of newt into the cauldron, causing gray smoke to puff out and explode in his face. When it cleared, he had black smudges across his entire face and his hair stuck up on pointy ends.

I laughed loudly and poked George's hair, making him grumble. Fred chuckled boisterously, clutching his sides and trying the clear the smoke around us with his hands. I giggled and waved my hands around, swishing the smoke to clear it from around their heads. It was stinging my eyes and hurting my head, making it go all fuzzy. Immediately, the smoke vanished.

"What the hell happened?" George wondered, confused. I shrugged and just passed it off for some strange phenomenon, and leaned against Fred. I snuggled into his chest and closed my eyes. I suddenly felt really tired. Seconds later, I was swallowed into a black abyss, not knowing what hit me.


	4. Let Sleeping Dragons Lie

**Previous disclaimer applies. Some fun in this chapter :)**

I woke up disoriented, forgetting why I was awake, where I was, and who I was with. I turned my face, rolling over and kind of intent on going back to sleep, until I rolled over into a pillow and almost suffocated myself. Muffling my cries, I turned back over and opened a bleary eye to take in my surroundings. I was in a twin bed against a dingy wall, with a deep blue comforter and millions of pillows surrounding me- four on the side to the left against the wall, and four at my head, I was clutching one, and there was also two on the side of me facing outwards, one in the curve of the back of my legs and one against my neck and back. I was facing the wall and I couldn't really see anything else, but I immediately knew I was in Fred's bed (that might have had to do with the incredible Fred smell that I was enveloped in).

I smiled just at that thought, but as suddenly as it appeared, it was gone and replaced by confusion. Why was I in Fred's bed? What had happened before I fell asleep? How long had it been since I fell asleep? What time is it? And where _was_ Fred?

I made a small groan and rolled over, disrupting my sleeping pillows, and unclenched the pillow I had in my hand. I looked down at it, and discovered it was Fred's favourite, the one that held the most of his particular, luscious scent. He'd had it since he was a baby. George and he had both received a hand- made pillow from Bill when they were born, and of course it was horribly put together as Bill had only been about six when he made it, when he was going through one of his weird stages- this time it had been sewing the Muggle way. I remembered getting in a fight with Fred over his blue and pink- yes pink- pillow with different mismatched pieces of fabric all sewn over each other, when I wanted to use it for a pillow at nap time when he was three and I was two and our parents got sick of us running around the house and wrecking havoc. He had torn it out of my hands, telling me it was his and I wasn't allowed to touch it or use it, and then I stuck my tongue out at him and told him I only wanted to go to sleep with something that was his. He had softened a bit, but still held firm and gave me one of his teddy bears instead. A good memory, that was.

I gave a small grumble and rolled back over to face the wall, unhappy with the prospect of leaving the comfort of Fred's bed. I was contemplating just falling back asleep when two strong arms wrapped over my waist followed up by a wall of flesh coming up to cuddle into my back and two knees curling into the space between the backs of my own knees after he took both pillows away from my backside. Tiny sparks erupted across my skin and heat infused my every pore. I smiled, loving the feel of him pressed up against me like that and the strong, protective feeling it created. I felt like no harm could ever come to me when he was with me like this.

I closed my eyes, and he nuzzled his face into my hair, tightening his arm around my stomach. I smirked. I knew that sometimes I talked in my sleep. It would be the perfect prank.

"Mmmmmhhhhmmmm Freeeddd," I mumbled like I would if I was sleeping, using the opportunity to snuggle my back into him, wiggling my hips and brushing my ass back, hitting something in the process. Tingles erupted across my skin. I smirked even deeper, giggling in my head as I felt the object hardening. I knew Fred, and I knew that he was a horny guy who couldn't help getting out of control when any girl- 'Even a girl he probably thinks of as a sister', I thought with slight contempt- brushed up against him. I would make him uncomfortable, and he would be bothered for a while unless he did something to end what I was invoking. I wondered what he'd do.

"Fred, don't stop," I groaned, filling my voice with sleep. "Faster. Harder!" I screeched softly. His sharp intake of breath told me I was doing something right. I wiggled my hips again and he let out his own groan. "Want... you.." I trailed off, pretending to go into a deeper sleep. He let out another groan, realizing I wasn't going to talk any more, and gave a little thrust into my backside. I stifled my gasp. Wow that had felt good. It had sent tiny little sparks through my entire body, the sparks finally zinging down deep into my belly.

I smiled, content, feeling the small sparks and the feel of them making me feel invigorated, but also a bit sleepy 'kuz of how at ease I was. I found myself falling back asleep, without finding the answer to any of the questions I had when I woke up except for the most important one- where was Fred? Right next to me.

* * *

"Blayne, Blaaayyyne," a soft voice lulled me out of my slumber. I grumbled and flexed my legs, raising my hands above my head and stretching them too. Smiling, I opened my eyes and realized where I was. I was still in Fred's bed, and Fred was still pressed against my back making me feel protected and safe, like I could never get into any trouble at all. "Sweetie, it's time to wake up. You slept all yesterday. We've got to get up so we can help everyone clean today." I smiled in my sleep. I loved when he called me endearments. It made me feel loved.

"Morning sunshine," Fred's velvety voice lulled to me when he felt me move. I smiled, turned over, and cuddled into his chest, wrapping my arms around his chest as he had wrapped his arms around my waist, while I snuggled my face into his chest.

"Freddy," I murmured.

"Hi baby girl," he whispered back. His arms tightened around me. "How did you sleep?"

"Great. I had the most amazing dream," I smiled, remembering what I had done to him when I pretended to be sleeping. He smirked from above me, remembering too.

"Oh did you now?"

"Yup. When did you get here?" I asked as if I didn't know.

"While you were sleeping. You started to sleep talk again," he told me, completely unaware I had been awake.

"Oh no, how much did you hear!" I let my face become tinged with pink and the tips of my hair turn pink (that one was intentional because I knew it happened when I got embarrassed because I was a metamorph). I acted like I didn't know what he heard.

"Not anything bad. Except right before you woke up you started telling me how much you loved me and how great I looked in pink," he smirked, enjoying teasing me. I gasped. Oh god, I remembered dreaming about Fred kissing me in a pink polo shirt. Damn it, he was telling the truth. I was mortified. He couldn't know the feelings I was starting to develop for him. It would ruin our friendship. He had to think that my love was only platonic friendship love.

"Yeah well you know those pink boxers with little yellow rubber ducks on them? They're my favourite on you," I teased back. At least that wasn't a complete lie. He gave me a tiny shove.

"My dad got those for me when he finally found out from Harry what they rubber ducks were," he defended. "And I like them."

"Well I like them too. They look good on you. Though they're a size too small, I think. You always seem to be bulging out when I see you in them," I told him innocently. I knew he usually had a bulge 'kuz when I knew he was wearing them I would make a point to bother him. His face turned pink and he rocked me, grumbling under his breath about something I couldn't hear.

"But really, it's nine in the morning and we gotta get up. You were asleep for like, 30 hours. I think you got enough sleep," he teased. "And now we're gunna eat breakfast and then Mum is gunna assign us our rooms to clean today. I think you're going to be continuing to work on that bedroom with Ginny, but I don't know who'll be working with you 'kuz Lupin is going to be needed to take the weird creatures out of the storage compartment in one of the other spare bedrooms. And Hermione might be told to go wash off the windows because she knows the correct Muggle way to do it. So I'm not sure as to who's going to be working with you two, but it might not be George and I seeing as Mum knows how much trouble we get into-"

"Fred. You're rambling." I put my finger up to his mouth, smiling and kissing his cheek. "Anywho, good morning. Why am I in your bed?" I asked, sitting up.

He sat up too, keeping me in his arms. "You fell asleep against me right after the smoke went away, and so I figured so as not to wake you up I'd just set you right here." Aha, now I remembered. The evening's, or I guess two evening's ago, activities came back to me and my hair turned pink. Oh boy. I fell asleep on the closest and most comfortable thing, which also happened to be the person I was quickly getting a crush on.

"Sorry about that," I mumbled, hiding my face in the collar of his shirt.

He chuckled. "It's fine. I didn't mind."

I thought about my questions from the night before. "Why was I in Fred's bed? What had happened before I fell asleep? How long had it been since I fell asleep? What time is it? And where _was_ Fred?"

I found out why I was in Fred's bed. I remembered what happened before I fell asleep, though I wondered why I had been so tired. I knew how long I was asleep- "30 hours", I shuddered- and I knew what time it was now- early in the morning. And I most definitely knew where Fred was.

"Fred, do you know why I fell asleep so fast and for so long? It's unusual for me to do that. Not to mention I wasn't even tired at all until that explosion went off. Could we have made a sleeping drought by accident?" I asked, yawning.

"Hmm, perhaps. Only, you were the only one affected. Neither George nor I fell asleep. Maybe it only affects foolish, pretty metamorphic females named Blayne are affected," he laughed. I stuck my tongue out at him and growled.

"Fine, we'll look into it. Okay well now that I'm up I mind as well get dressed into some normal clothes... Wait a minute." I looked down at myself to find that I was clothed in a pair of cozy, flannel p.j. bottoms and a tank top. "Fred! How'd I get into these p.j.s?"

"Oh well... um, you see..." He blushed and looked away, standing up.

"You didn't!" I screeched, blushing furiously as my entire head went fuchsia pink and standing up also. He shook his head fast, immediately shooting down that idea.

"No, no of course not. I would never-" he shook his head again and closed his eyes in embarrassment. "No, I got Ginny to bring some clothes over for you and then she changed you. I know how uncomfortable it is to sleep in the clothes you've worn all day," he elaborated. "And I wanted you to be comfortable."

"Oh. Uhm, okay then. That's fine," I mumbled, embarrassed for having jumped to the worst, or best, I amended grudgingly (but knowing it was probably true), conclusion. I was also really happy and touched that he had taken the time to make sure I was more comfortable, and instead of sticking me in my own bed so he could sleep more comfortably in his own, he put my comfort first and let me sleep in his bed with him. He's so sweet.

"C'mon, let's get you dressed before Ginny and Mum go bonkers. I'm sure Hermione would get on my case too," he added as an afterthought.

"Yeah you're right. I'm just so damn comfy right now," I smirked and snuggled closer to prove my point. He laughed.

"I definitely agree with you on that one, love. But at dinner tonight, I promise that we can cuddle all you want."

I don't know why, but that promise made the day worth waking up to.

* * *

"Blayne, what classes are you taking this year for your N.E.W.T.s?" Hermione asked during breakfast when everybody was scarfing down enough of Mrs. Weasley's delicious creations to hold them off until lunch break.

"Uhm, lemme think. At the N.E.W.T. level, I'm taking Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, but that's obvious, ummm..." I trailed off, trying to think. "Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, History of Magic, and there was one more..."

"Herbology." A quiet voice full with food echoed across the table. I smiled.

"Yeah that's it! Thanks Freddy boy." I grinned, leaning over to my left and kissing him on the cheek. He just shrugged.

"How'd you remember Fred? I can't even remember _our_ classes, let alone Blayne's," George echoed from Fred's left, confused. Fred shrugged again and continued to shovel down food.

"That's interesting. What do you want to do out of school then? That's a pretty varied list," Hermione commented.

"Oh I already have my perfect job in mind. I hope to get on the Committee on Experimental Charms, founded by Balfour Blane in the late 1500s, early 1600s. I would be the assistant to Gilbert Wimple. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?" I sighed, dreamily.

"Gilbert Wimple?" George burst out laughing hysterically. I shot him a look.

"Yes, it does sound just like you, dear," Molly told me, nodding and smiling.

"Thank you Mrs. Weasley," I smiled.

"Molly, dear, Molly. How many times must I tell you, over the past oh, 15 years, to call me Molly? Just when I think you're going to just decide to call me my God given name, you leave for school and the next time I see you, it's "Mrs. Weasley" this and "Mrs. Weasley" that. Oh bother, just call me Molly!" she exclaimed, exasperated.

"Sorry Molly. I promise to call you that from now on. Molly." I smiled charmingly at her and she nodded, also smiling.

"Finally!" she cried, grinned from ear to ear. I laughed lightly, loving how something so simple could make this great woman so happy.

"But the C.E.C. is in the Ministry of Magic. After all they're doing to Harry are you still considering it there?" Sirius bellowed, semi- outraged.

"Oh, Sirius I've put great thought into it. You see, I know that the Ministry is an awful place to be right now, but it's so very obvious that in a few month's time, Fudge will come to his senses and smell the coffee. He'll realize Harry was right all along and that he was an arse this whole time and then the Ministry will apologize which isn't nearly good enough but at least they'll know they were wrong and then this whole thing will blow over and I can get to do my dream job. And anyways, Gosh darnit, people need to make a good living whether they like the place they're working or not, and this job pays really well as there's only two or three other people working in the department and they're really stressed for workers. So thinking hard about it all, it really does work out in the end."

Molly's face was pale and her smile was gone just talking about the Ministry and what it had done to her family. I inwardly sighed. I wished I hadn't gone on like that. Why couldn't I just keep my God damn mouth shut?

Arthur was nodding along. "Yes, yes, that's what I've been thinking too my dear!" he smiled encouragingly at me. "And I can most certainly see you there and get you situated!"

"Thanks, Arthur." I smiled over at him and then looked at Sirius. "Look, Sirius, I love Harry just as much as you do and right now I hate the Daily Prophet and the Ministry of Magic just as much as any of us. But I cannot sacrifice my happiness and my future for something that will surely pass in just a few months. It's ridiculous to be so rash in this situation." He still looked angry. "And if it doesn't roll over, then I will look for another job so as not to deal with those demons from Hell who, in denying Voldemort's existence, are simply putting the entire world at stake and might as well be a part of Voldemort's conquest to kill us all!" He looked slightly mollified.

I sighed. There was nothing more I could do to try to get him to accept it. He would just have to deal with my job choice.

"I think you'll be great at it. You're always getting George and I out of all sorts of trouble with your superior charming skills, and we would not be here without you. You're going to use those skills to get all sorts of buggers out of trouble now, and I think that's a wonderful choice for a job. 'Sides, it's a career that's help us in our career too!" Fred boisterously put in.

"And Lord knows you'll need all the help you can get," I told him, smirking.


	5. The Benefits of Being Friends

**Disclaimer applies. Fred and Blayne enjoy the benefits of some sexual tension. **

"Merlin knows, I hate to put you four together, but the circumstances prove that this is the combination we have to go with. You _will_ be on your best behavior though, seeing as I _am_ allowing you to be together. No funny business, and if I hear one boom, you are separated!" Molly flapped her arms around for emphasis.

She had just told everyone their room assignments for that day. We were all armed with dust cloths, Magical Creature Removal Spray, and The Wizard's Guide For Removing Strange, Possibly Dangerous Magical Creatures and Objects. Just as Fred had predicted that morning, it was just me and Ginny left in the original group that was cleaning out that spare bedroom. Hermione and Lupin, as predicted also, were helping out in the other rooms. And guess who that left?

Fred and George were to be helping out Ginny and I in the spare bedroom. Alone. It was going to be just the four of us, in one tiny little room, infested with creatures and dust and all other gross things having to do with uninhabited mansions. It was going to be wicked!

"Of course Molly! We'll be on our best behavior!" I assured her, giddy with anticipation of the hell we could cause that day.

"Yeah Mum, trust us!" Ginny piped in.

"Yeah, when Muggle pigs fly," Molly snorted. I giggled, imagining a Muggle pig soaring over the Tower of London.

"You know, there _was_ a report of a Muggle pig charmed to fly over a house in rural Ireland one time, about two years ago I think," Arthur mused. "All the villagers were a fright. They were certain that the man who had charmed it was a devious wizard sent from Hell," he chuckled. "It was a really hard case to get them to think otherwise. And the wizard got two year's worth of probation. I thought he should have gotten much worse, but it just goes to show you how the justice system is bending. The Statute of Secrecy my arse!"

"Now Arthur, let's not get all worked up. You know what it does to your blood pressure. And we cannot ignore Healer Wendell's instructions to limit the instances where you may get worked up over things that are out of your control." Molly soothed her husband, sitting him down in a chair and rubbing his back. "What are you waiting for? Get to work!" she shouted at all of us who were just standing around.

We all scurried to go up the stairs at once, so that we could all get to our assigned rooms, and the stairs immediately clogged. I grumbled, trying to force my way into the crowd. A hand grabbed mine and pulled me over to their side, and then a _POP _sounded, and I was swirling through air and space, and I was feeling lightheaded and loopy. I started giggling as I saw three bright stars, and bright swirling colours. Just as quickly as it started, the colours vanished and the bright stars went away, and I was landed on my ass next on top of a strong body and the loopy feeling was gone. I was still a little lightheaded.

I looked around me to find myself in a dusty room that was furnished just like every other room in the house. I knew the person I was on wasn't Fred, 'kuz I wasn't tingly and it just didn't feel like him. The body was slightly too bulky, and I didn't fit perfectly onto this person. I looked up to find myself in the arms of George, holding onto me so I wouldn't fall off him because I was still dizzy.

"Georgie." I smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for saving me," I giggled.

"No problem love," he smirked and kissed my forehead in response. Fred grumbled and told us to "stop messing about" which I thought was weird as that's all we ever do, but I shrugged it off and went to work.

I sat up and walked over to the corner which was filled with dust and sighed, slowly starting to remove the gross layer of grime with my dust cloth. When only a bit came off, I cornered into the crease and scrubbed, scratching with vigor and refusing to let the stuff stay on the walls. I bent at the waist, but stood sideways so I could get most of the wall. When I got every last bit, I turned around, proud of myself, to discover that I had been at it for almost a fifteen minutes and all three other occupants of the room were staring at me with amused and slightly scared expressions on their faces. I half- smiled, self-conscious and embarrassed at my angry attack on the wall which they had all witnessed. I watched chagrined as the tips of my hair turned a pink-orange.

"Are you sure you aren't like, possessed, Blayne?" Ginny asked, breaking the silence. I started to laugh at the absurdity of the situation and it wasn't long until the others joined in.

"Sorry. It was bothering me." I smiled sheepishly and then looked to George who was still laughing and Fred who was just kind of standing there, deep in thought. "Um, so let's move on," I giggled, ignoring Fred's weird reactions. "What do we have to do?"

"Everything," George looked around us with his lip turned up in disgust. "This place is gross."

"Agreed. Okay George, you go over there in that corner with all those scary looking object things. Fred, you get the furniture. I've got the draperies and cloth pieces, and Blayne you can work on the walls since you look like you've got a knack for it. Or are obsessed." Fred and George snickered and Ginny giggled after muttering the end of the sentence. I playfully glared. Everybody dispersed and started on their own tasks.

I got bored as I attempted to scrub off the mold and other gross things that had grown on the walls while the house had been neglected. I started to hum along to You're a Basalisk by Heaving Hearts, a wizarding band, and got really into it, eventually leading to hips swaying and hand scrubbing in time with the music.

Out of nowhere, the loud boom of the song surrounded the room. I squealed and jumped, hitting my head against a windowsill I was underneath. I grumbled, clutching at my heart with one hand and resting my head on the wall, holding it with my other hand.

"What the _fuck_?" I groaned, trying to slow my heart rate down and calm the throbbing of my head. All three other occupants of the room burst out laughing. Apparently I was really funny.

"Shut the fuck up, asswipes," I grumbled, turning a light shade of pink and turning back to my work. They continued to laugh and I started to tune them out, subconsciously continuing to sway my body and tap my feet, getting into the music that was now an actual song blaring, not just my hummed tune.

A little while later, I felt hot breath on my neck and gasped when my hands were restricted to my body. I glared into space, trying to spin around to hurt whichever twin was holding me captive (because it just had to be a twin). The twin held fast and tightened his arm around my waist, also placing a kiss on the back my neck at my hairline. I gave a lopsided smile. This was so Fred.

"You're so hot," he murmured quietly. I gasped, pressing back into the hard body that held me. My ass pressed hard into his erection and he hissed, giving a tiny thrust in response. I smirked as I heard his teeth clamp down and his hands tighten on my hips, steadying them and stopping their movements.

"What are you doing?" he growled right above my ear. I tilted my face back to see behind us and saw that all the other occupants of the room were busy cleaning and in their own worlds. I winked back at him.

"You started it," I challenged. He pulled away from me and turned his back to me, and I noticed him adjust his pants. I gave a small giggle, and turned my own back to him, trying to calm my breathing and slow my heart rate. I was so worked up and aroused already, and this was my best friend. This could not be happening. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, and when I turned back around, he was staring at me with stunned eyes and a smirk on his face.

"What was that?" he asked hushed.

"Foreplay," I teased with a wink. Then I turned back around and busied myself with working and dancing. I swayed my hips to the music while waving a rag around and scrubbing the walls free of the mold and other green and black fungi. All I could think about was three whispered words.

Three words, that when said not in accordance with the others, were just innocent little words. You're, so, and hot. You're so hot. You're. _So_. Hot. Fred said that? I'm hot. I'm hot? I'm _so_ hot. I'm attractive to him? You're so hot.

Fred thought I was hot? I thought Fred was hot, but would I ever go up to him and press myself up to him? True, I had just reciprocated grinding, but could I ever go up to him and do that? He _was_ the most attractive boy I knew though.

Well then, why didn't I find George hot too? Why only Fred? I thought of George as a brother, and they're identical twins, so that means I should have to see Fred as a brother. Right?

Why didn't I? Why did I, all of a sudden, feel so much more for Fred than a friend? What was happening?

Was it the way he all of a sudden had girls hanging off of him every which way? No, George was a ladies' man too. Was it that Fred recently grew out his hair? No, that couldn't be it. Something as simple as a haircut would not make me fall in love with my best friend. Was it that tiny freckle on his left ear that made me want to suck it into my mouth and lick that beautiful birthmark until we fucked like rabbits? Was it the way I somehow always noticed what boxers he was wearing, and every pair was like a new reason to fall in love with him? Was it because his eyes were a tad bit deeper and creamier than George's and his face was just a bit more angular? Perhaps it was because he was always the one who cuddled me, not matter what. Maybe it was that he continually looked at me with that face, the 'I love you so much it hurts' face. Or the way he was just _always_ there. Whatever the reason, I found Fred way more attractive than George. Whatever the reason, when I saw the tent he had pitched, I wanted it and didn't find it disgusting. Whatever the reason, I was becoming way too into Fred than friends should be.

I mean, yeah I loved him. But to say I was _in_ love with him… well that was a whole new ballpark now wasn't it?

* * *

I smelt dinner before I heard anyone call for us. I smiled and looked at the boys who were strewn across my bed, nodding to the left wall.

"God I'm fucking famished," I groaned. I really hoped dinner would be ready soon.

"Don't use big words, Blayne. You're going to make poor Freddie's head explode," George teased, poking him in the head by reaching across my body. I sighed at the two's antics and got up from my bed, making the other end fly up and Fred slide to one end, knocking into George who's end of the bed had dipped.

"OW!" both cried out at the same time, rubbing their heads simultaneously. I giggled and shook my head.

"Hey George can you go ask Molly how long till dinner?" I asked. My stomach agreed with a long growl. He laughed, nodded, and disappeared with a pop.

"Hey Blaynie, come here," Fred muttered. He held out his hands and I fell into them, ending up on his lap. In response to my fall he tightened his hands around my hips and I rested my head on his chest. "I missed you love."

"I missed you too Freddie." I nuzzled my face into the flannel shirt under his robes and tightened my own arms around his neck. "I wonder what Hogwarts'll be like this year."

"Me too. I hope nothing too crazy happens. Harry's had enough problems for a lifetime," Fred sighed. I nodded in agreement.

"However, with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back, I can hardly guess it'll be a quiet year. I think we've got another insane, frightening year ahead of us. You ready?" I quirked the end of my lip up and looked up at him.

"Bring it on."


	6. Scarhead

**already i have three alerts and two reviews! thanks guys i hope you like the next one!**

**this one, as you probably can tell, has a lot of dialog from the actual book- property of Mrs. J.K. Rowling, not me (though i did add in a bit of fun)**

"I can hardly hear a thing!" I angrily whispered to the twins, holding an Extendable Ear to my own ear. We stood at the top of the stairs, trying our hardest to hear what was going on downstairs in the Order meeting.

Bellowing, angry shouts came from down the stairs on the level below us. Each of us looked towards the other, sharing similar, knowing looks.

"Harry."

I grabbed onto the twin closest to me, which happened to be George, and we apparated to the room from which the hollers where coming.

"Stop _doing_ that!" Hermione protested weakly at our apparation.

"Hello Harry. We thought we heard your dulcet tones," George commented, smiling.

"I think the whole of London heard his 'dulcet tones', Georgie boy," I grinned. "Hey Harry."

"You don't want to bottle up your anger like that, Harry, let it all out. There might be a couple of people fifty miles away who didn't hear you," Fred beamed.

"And that would be a terrible shame," I added.

"You two passed your Apparation tests, then?" Harry grumpily asked.

"With distinction," Fred replied. He pulled out an Extendable Ear.

"Lucky for me!" I grinned at my two twins.

"It would have taken you about thirty seconds longer to walk down the stairs," Ron humphed.

"Time is Galleons, little brother," said Fred.

"And you know how they have to save up all the Galleons they have for their joke shop," I commented. _Even though Harry did give them most of the money already from his Tournament winnings_, I added silently in my head.

"Anyway, Harry, you're interfering with reception. Extendable Ears," he explained Harry's confusion at the stringy ear. "We're trying to hear what's going on downstairs."

"And we can't hear a _thing_ with your loud bellowing!" I stuck my tongue out at the younger boy.

"You want to be careful," said Ron, eyeing the ear carefully. "If Mum sees one of them again…"

"It's worth the risk, that's a major meeting they're having," Fred noted. I nodded. All of a sudden the door opened and Ginny flew in.

"Oh hello, Harry! I thought I heard your voice!" she said brightly. She turned to her two older brothers and me. "It's no go with the Extendable Ears, she's gone and put an Imperturbable Charm on the kitchen door."

"So _that's_ why I couldn't hear anything!" I tapped my head.

"How d'you know?" George asked sadly.

"Tonks told me how to find out," said Ginny. "You just chuck stuff at the door and if it can't make contact the door's been Imperturbed. I've been flicking Dungbombs at it from the top of the stairs and they just soar away from it, so there's no way the Extendable Ears will be able to get under the gap."

"Shame. I really fancied finding out what old Snape's been up to." Fred sighed heavily.

"We'll just have to put our heads together to find out another way," I said.

"Snape? Is he here?" Harry asked confused.

"Yeah," George replied, closing the door quietly and sitting down on a bed. I sat in next to George and Fred sat on my other side. I sighed and rested my head on George's shoulder and threw my leg over Fred's while Ginny sat down on the floor by my feet. "Giving a report. Top secret."

"Psht top secret my arse. The little greasy- haired weasel," I huffed.

"Git," Fred said idly.

"He's on our side now," Hermione rebuffed.

"So he says." I shook my head.

Ron snorted in response. "Doesn't stop him from being a git. The way he looks at us when he sees us…"

"Doesn't stop him from using all that hair product either," I breathed out under my breath. Fred chuckled.

"Bill doesn't like him either," Ginny commented as if it impacted anything. Harry finally sat down.

"Is Bill here? I thought he was working in Egypt." Harry had to catch up.

"He applied for a desk job so he could come home and work for the Order," Fred said. "He says he misses the tombs but," he smirked, "there are compensations…"

"That I'm _sure_ he's taking full advantage of," I smirked back.

"What d'you mean?"

"Remember old Fleur Delacour?" George asked. "She's got a job at Gringotts to _eemprove 'er Eeenglish_-"

"-and Bill's been giving her a lot of private lessons," Fred sniggered.

"We don't see him much. That veela is taking over his life," I hissed in contempt. Fred rested a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Charlie's in the Order too," George said, "but he's still in Romania, Dumbledore wants as many foreign wizards brought in as possible, so Charlie's trying to make contacts on his days off."

"Couldn't Percy do that?" Harry commented obliviously.

"Traitor!" I growled at his name, remembering Molly's tears and Fred and George's anger, as well as poor Ginny's feeling of abandonment. I hated the bloody prick.

Everybody else exchanged dark looks. The others explained the Percy situation as I brooded over what he did to my loved ones. It eventually lapsed into the Daily Prophet, another subject that got my blood boiling. I kept quiet. Of course that only led to talk to Harry's almost expulsion, which we had heard of this afternoon. The poor boy, I just wanted to hug him.

Harry obviously didn't want to talk about it. He looked around for someone to change the subject and I nearly jumped in to save him when footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Uh oh," I whispered, tugging on Fred's hand that was holding the Ear. He stuffed it into his pocket, grabbed my waist, and we vanished. Back in their room, we waited for Molly to come tell us it was dinner, and when she had gone back downstairs, we rushed back out on the top landing. George commented that the Order was still in the hallway. "Hurry!" I urged.

We could see the trio descend below us as Fred, George, and I slowly lowered the Extendable Ear down the stairs. The three younger kids looked up at us and I threw Ron a thumbs up and continued to help. As the fleshy piece of string came almost close enough to hear them, the group of adults moved towards the door and out of range.

"Dammit!" Fred hissed and quickly brought back up the string. The door opened and closed as Snape left. God was I happy he didn't eat here with us.

"Missed our opportunity by seconds. Come on before Molly realizes we've taken a while," I whispered. We walked down the stairs behind Harry, Hermione, and Ron.

As the bottom of the stairs, we passed the row of house-elf heads on the wall, and saw Lupin, Mrs. Weasley and Tonks at the front door, magically sealing the locks and bolts behind the adults who had just left.

"We're eating down in the kitchen," Molly whispered, meeting the youngsters at the bottom of the stairs. "Harry, dear, if you'll just tiptoe across the hall, it's through this door here-"

CRASH.

"Tonks!" cried Molly in exasperation, turning around to look behind her.

"I'm sorry!" wailed Tonks, who was lying on the floor. I hopped down the stairs to right the stand and help my sister off the floor. "It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over-"

The rest of her words were cut off by a blood-curdling screech. The moth-eaten curtains in front of Sirius's mum's portrait had flown apart to reveal her. She screamed and screeched about the vile people in her house.

All along the hall, the other portraits awoke and began to yell too and I grumbled and hid my face into George's shirt and clutched my hands to my ears in response to the noise. Lupin and Molly ran and tried to shut the curtains over the sour old woman, but they wouldn't close and she screeched louder.

"Filth! Scum! By-products of dirt and vileness! Half-breeds, mutants, freaks, begone from this place! How dare you befoul the house of my fathers-"

Tonks kept apologizing and I turned from George to scream at her that I had done the same thing when we had arrived, trying to appease her. Molly ran up and down the hall to stun all the other portraits to shut them up.

Finally, Sirius arrived to quiet his mother. "Shut up, you horrible old hag, shut UP!" he yelled, taking Molly's curtain and trying to shut it.

"Yoooou!" his mum howled, her eyes popping at the sight of the man. "Blood traitor, abomination, shame of my flesh!"

"I said - shut - UP!" Sirius yelled, and then he grunted as Lupin and he heaved the curtains closed. She stopped yelling and all was silent.

Panting and sweeping his long dark hair out of his eyes, Sirius turned to face Harry. "Hello, Harry," he commented grimly, "I see you've met my mother."

"Your -?"

"My dear old mum, yeah," said Sirius. "We've been trying to get her down for a month but we think she put a Permanent Sticking Charm on the back of the canvas. Let's get downstairs, quick, before they all wake up again."

"But what's a portrait of your mother doing here?" Harry asked, bewildered, as godson and godfather walked on, us following behind a little ways to let them have their reunion.

"Hasn't anyone told you? This was my parents' house," said Sirius. "But I'm the last Black left, so it's mine now. I offered it to Dumbledore for Headquarters - about the only useful thing I've been able to do."

We walked into the kitchen then. Arthur and Bill were talking quietly with their heads together at the end of the table, probably about the Order. I tried to listen in but didn't hear anything; they were too far away.

Molly cleared her throat and Arthur looked around and jumped up.

"Harry!" Arthur said, greeting him and shaking his hand. "Good to see you!"

Bill hastily rolled up the parchment on the table and I snapped my fingers in regret for not having tried to read that as well.

"Journey all right, Harry?" Bill called, trying to gather up twelve scrolls at once. "Mad-Eye didn't make you come via Greenland, then?"

"He tried," said Tonks, walking over to help Bill. She accidently tipped a candle onto the last piece of parchment. "Oh no… sorry-"

"Here, dear," said Molly, repairing the parchment with a wave of her wand. As the parchment was repaired, I saw what looked like the plan of a building. What was that for?

Molly saw me looking and snatched the plan off the table and stuffed it into Bill's already overladen arms.

"This sort of thing ought to be cleared away promptly at the end of meetings," she snapped, before starting to set the table.

Bill took out his wand, muttered, "Evanesco!" and the scrolls vanished.

"Sit down, Harry," said Sirius. "You've met Mundungus, haven't you?" Mundungus grunted and startled awake. I rolled my eyes.

"Some'n say m'name?" Mundungus mumbled. "I 'gree with Sirius…" He raised a very grubby hand in the air like they were voting. Ginny and I giggled.

"The meeting's over, Dung," said Sirius and we all sat down at the table, me between the twins and Ginny next to Bill across from me. "Harry's arrived."

"Eh?" Mundungus grunted. "Blimey, so 'e 'as. Yeah… you all right, 'Arry?"

"Yeah," Harry replied. _No thanks to you_, I added in my mind.

Mundungus nervously pulled out his pipe and started to puff. I screwed up my nose and made a disgusted face. I hated the smell of that thing.

"Owe you a 'pology," he grunted.

"For the last time, Mundungus," called Molly, "will you please not smoke that thing in the kitchen, especially not when we're about to eat!"

"Right. Sorry, Molly." Mundungus put his pipe away, but the smell still lingered. I huffed and looked to Bill, who knew I hated the smell and what I wanted. With a swish of his wand, the air smelled of vanilla and I breathed in a healthy breath of the smell, giving him a grateful smile. He nodded in response.

"And if you want dinner before midnight I'll need a hand," Molly said. When Harry tried to get up to help when I did, Molly shook her head. "No, you can stay where you are, Harry dear, you've had a long journey."

"What can I do, Molly?" Tonks asked enthusiastically.

Molly hesitated. "Er - no, it's all right, Tonks, you have a rest too, you've done enough today."

"No, no, I want to help!" insisted Tonks, knocking over a chair while trying to help Ginny collect cutlery. I smiled and followed my sister, taking out the glasses and setting the table.

Eventually Arthur set up magically chopping knives which cut the meat and vegetables while Molly stirred a cauldron over the fire.

Harry was left at the table with Sirius and Mundungus. They all struck up conversation as we amicably moved around the kitchen and joked together. Fred and George bewitched some things to move about the room as I laughed and watched them wave their wands with their eyes all screwed up.

"Fred - George - NO, JUST CARRY THEM!" Molly shrieked.

Harry, Sirius and Mundungus looked round and dived away from the table. A large cauldron of stew, an iron flagon of Butterbeer and a heavy wooden breadboard, complete with knife, hurtled through the air towards the table. The stew skidded the length of the table and came to a halt just before the end, leaving a long black burn on the wooden surface; the flagon of Butterbeer fell with a crash, spilling its contents everywhere; the bread knife slipped off the board and landed, point down and quivering ominously, exactly where Sirius's right hand had been seconds before.

"FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" screamed Molly. "THERE WAS NO NEED - I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS - JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWED TO USE MAGIC NOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WHIP YOUR WANDS OUT FOR EVERY TINY LITTLE THING!" I giggled at her double entendre and moved my right pointer finger in front of my crotch, wiggling it around. George laughed quietly at my move.

"We were just trying to save a bit of time!" said Fred, hurrying forward to wrench the bread knife out of the table. "Sorry, Sirius, mate - didn't mean to -"

Harry and Sirius were both laughing; Mundungus had toppled backwards off his chair and was swearing as he got to his feet.

"Boys," Mr. Weasley said, lifting the stew back into the middle of the table, "your mother's right, you're supposed to show a sense of responsibility now you've come of age -"

"None of your brothers caused this sort of trouble!" Molly yelled at the twins as she slammed a fresh cup of Butterbeer on to the table. "Bill didn't feel the need to Apparate every few feet! Charlie didn't charm everything he met! Percy -" She stopped dead and everything went silent and frightened.

"Let's eat," said Bill quickly.

We all sat down to eat, ignoring the evils around us and even in our own homes, to enjoy a lovely meal with our new addition, Harry Potter himself.


	7. Typical

**this part contains a lot of the original text as well, with a few thrown in comments from blayne. usual disclaimer applies. updates will be slower, first day of school for me today and things are looking a bit hectic. sorry guys**

"Nearly time for bed, I think," said Molly with a yawn.

"Not just yet, Molly" said Sirius, pushing away his empty plate and turning to look at Harry. "You know, I'm surprised at you. I thought the first thing you'd do when you got here would be to start asking questions about Voldemort."

The atmosphere in the room flipped. Everyone was now alert, even tense.

"I did!" said Harry indignantly. "I asked Ron and Hermione but they said we're not allowed in the Order, so -"

"And they're quite right," said Molly. "You're too young." She was looking angry.

"Since when did someone have to be in the Order of the Phoenix to ask questions?" asked Sirius. "Harry's been trapped in that Muggle house for a month. He's got the right to know what's been happen—"

"Hang on!" George interrupted loudly.

"How come Harry gets his questions answered?" said Fred angrily.

"We've been trying to get stuff out of you for a month and you haven't told us a single stinking thing!" said George.

"That's not fair!" I screeched.

"'You're too young, you're not in the Order'," said Fred in a high-pitched voice that sounded uncannily like Molly's. "Harry's not even of age!"

"It's not my fault you haven't been told what the Order's doing," said Sirius calmly, "that's your parents' decision. Harry, on the other hand -"

"It's not down to you to decide what's good for Harry!" said Molly sharply. She looked so angry she could be dangerous. "You haven't forgotten what Dumbledore said, I suppose?"

"Which bit?" Sirius asked, readying himself for a fight.

"The bit about not telling Harry more than he _needs to know_," said Molly. All of our heads swiveled from Sirius to Molly as though watching tennis. Ginny was kneeling amid a pile of abandoned Butterbeer corks, watching the conversation with her mouth slightly open. Lupin's eyes were fixed on Sirius.

"I don't intend to tell him more than he needs to know, Molly," said Sirius. "But as he was the one who saw Voldemort come back and he has more right than most to -"

"He's not a member of the Order of the Phoenix!" said Molly. "He's only fifteen and -"

"And he's dealt with as much as most in the Order," said Sirius, "and more than some."

"No one's denying what he's done!" said Molly, her voice rising. "But he's still -"

"He's not a child!" said Sirius impatiently.

"He's not an adult either!" screamed Molly. "He's not James, Sirius!"

"I'm perfectly clear who he is, thanks, Molly," said Sirius coldly.

"I'm not sure you are!" said Mrs. Weasley. "Sometimes, the way you talk about him, it's as though you think you've got your best friend back!"

"What's wrong with that?" said Harry.

"What's wrong, Harry, is that you are not your father, however much you might look like him!" said Molly. "You are still at school and adults responsible for you should not forget it!"

"Meaning I'm an irresponsible godfather?" demanded Sirius.

"Meaning you have been known to act rashly, Sirius, which is why Dumbledore keeps reminding you to stay at home and -"

"We'll leave my instructions from Dumbledore out of this, if you please!" said Sirius loudly.

"Arthur!" said Molly, turning to her husband. "Arthur, back me up!"

He kept quiet. He took off his glasses and cleaned them slowly on his robes, not looking at his wife. He replaced them carefully on his nose and replied.

"Dumbledore knows the position has changed, Molly. He accepts that Harry will have to be filled in, to a certain extent, now that he is staying at Headquarters."

"Yes, but there's a difference between that and inviting him to ask whatever he likes!"

"Personally," said Lupin quietly, and Molly looked hopeful, "I think it better that Harry gets the facts - not all the facts, Molly, but the general picture - from us, rather than a garbled version from… others." Oh no, Lupin knew some Extendables had survived.

"Well," said Molly, breathing deeply to calm herself, "well… I can see I'm going to be overruled. I'll just say this: Dumbledore must have had his reasons for not wanting Harry to know too much, and speaking as someone who has Harry's best interests at heart -"

"He's not your son," said Sirius quietly.

"He's as good as," said Molly fiercely. "Who else has he got?"

"He's got me!"

"Yes," said Mrs. Weasley, her lip curling, "the thing is, it's been rather difficult for you to look after him while you've been locked up in Azkaban, hasn't it?" Sirius started to rise from his chair.

"Molly, you're not the only person at this table who cares about Harry," said Lupin sharply.

"Sirius, sit down." Mrs. Weasley's looked like she was about to cry. Sirius sat down. "I think Harry ought to be allowed a say in this," Lupin continued, "he's old enough to decide for himself."

"I want to know what's been going on," Harry said at once.

"Very well," said Mrs. Weasley, her voice cracking. "Ginny - Ron - Hermione - Fred – Blayne - George – I want you out of this kitchen, now."

"We're of age!" Fred and George bellowed together.

"If Harry's allowed, why can't I?" shouted Ron.

"That is so not fair!" I screamed angrilly.

"Mum, I want to hear!" wailed Ginny.

"NO!" shouted Mrs. Weasley, standing up, her eyes bright. "I absolutely forbid -"

"Molly, you can't stop Fred and George," said Mr. Weasley wearily. "They are of age."

"They're still at school."

"But they're legally adults now," said Mr. Weasley, in the same tired voice.

"I - oh, all right then, Fred and George can stay, but Blayne-"

"George and Fred will just tell me what happened afterwards! Anyways, I'm only a year younger!" I shouted angrily.

"Blayne, as much as that is true and I know you'll hear anything anyways, Mum and Dad wouldn't approve much of you sitting in," Tonks told me regretfully. My eyes widened. How could Tonks do this to me!

"But NYMPH! THAT'S SO UNFAIR! Harry, Hermione, and Ron are YOUNGER THEN ME!" I screamed, standing up from my chair and flailing my arms around, knocking my chair and a few goblets over. My hair had streaks of angry red in it.

"I know Blayne but you have to understand, without their permission-"

"I can't believe this. I thought you respected me. I'm SIXTEEN for Merlin's sake! My own BLOODY sister! I'm not a CHILD anymore! I HATE YOU!" I screamed, turning and running out the kitchen door and up the stairs. Thank the gods that Mrs. Black hadn't heard me.

I couldn't BELIEVE this! Who does she think she is? I'm only a year younger then the twins, and I was a year older then the trio! That's ridiculous. I'll show her who's a child.

"Fucking family! I'm just as responsible as the others. Age has NOTHING to do with maturity!" I continued to screech, stomping and hitting the walls on my way up the stairs. My hair was completely red now and hot tears of anger, as well as mixed embarrassment at not being deemed dependable enough to hold the secrets of the Order, slid down my face. I could hear Ginny's stomping feet behind me, which simply enraged me more. Ginny may be one of my best friends, but she was two years younger than I. I knew the rest were allowed to stay. So, the only ones that weren't "old" enough were me at 16 and Ginny, at 14. I was TWO YEARS OLDER! In a year I would be of age! Mrs. Black's screams started to echo through the halls behind my thumps.

When I reached the top of the stairs, angrily hitting my foot against the wall and cursing at the throbbing that ensued, I looked to the twins' bedroom and then to mine. I wanted to comfort of Fred's smell, but I was embarrassed that my own sister didn't think I could handle the responsibility of the secrets of the Order. I didn't know if I could face them when they came back. I slipped into the room, angrily cussing, and threw myself onto Fred's bed, knowing I couldn't go to be with Ginny in our room. I couldn't face anyone right now- I was too angry. I let the angry tears flow as I hiccupped and yelled obscenities at adults until I fell into a restless, uncomfortable sleep.

* * *

I heard the twins come in a little while later as I tossed over in my sleep, and in my sleep I could hear them murmuring but couldn't make out the words. A pair of lips descended on my forehead and I relaxed, falling into a deeper sleep at the comfort the action brought me. I didn't hear the door close again.

* * *

When I awoke, I was wrapped in a pair of warm arms and I found my pillow to be the most comfortable one I had ever used. I remembered this pillow- I had woken up on it in this same bed a few days before after the sleeping drought. Opening my bleary eyes, I nuzzled my face into Fred's chest further and tightened my leg- which had been thrown across his in sleep- around his waist. I was just about to fall back to sleep when George's voice boomed through the room.

"Get up my lovelies! Time for breakfast!" his voice sang. I groaned and tightened my arm around my pillow's stomach, refusing to move. "Come on you little lovers you, you can't stay in bed all day!" Suddenly the covers vanished and I shivered. The room was so cold!

With a start, I was tipped off of Fred. He had sat up suddenly in response, shivering lightly. "What the bloody hell?" he grumbled sleepily, looking around and noticing me thrown hap hazardously beside him. "Oh sorry Blaynie! How stupid of me." He wrapped me up in his arms to warm me. "You're freezing love!"

"Bloody git," I nodded to George.

"Oh come off it, you need to wake up. We've got a long day of cleaning ahead of us," the accused rebuffed. I groaned and sat up, knowing there was no way around it. Fred sighed regretfully and let me go, sitting up next to me and slinging his arm around my neck. George disapparated, knowing we were awake, and I turned my head into Fred's chest.

"I hate this awful house," I sniffed. "And I hate my sister and my family and every adult who thinks I'm too young and stupid." The tips of my hair turned blue as I wallowed.

"Oh love, it's okay. George and I'll tell you everything at lunch break, promise." He enveloped me into a huge hug and I sniffled against him, the feelings of being rejected coming back to me as I fought of tears- this time of pure sadness. I knew I was overreacting, but I couldn't help it. I got my hotheaded attitude from my dad's dad.

Fred knew this, for he didn't try to stand up for my sister but simply told me they were gits for being that way to me and holding me for a few minutes. The door shut quietly as George left. After a little while, I sighed and regretfully turned from his embrace to stand up.

I found myself in a soft flannel shirt that smelled entirely like Fred- manly and musky with a hint of explosion. I breathed it in as I noted how it fell to my mid thigh like a blanket on me and smiled. "You know you're not getting this shirt back right?" I giggled. He nodded and smirked.

"Wouldn't dream of wishing." He got out of bed and stood in all his glory, only wearing his thin navy boxers to cover him. I resisted moaning at the sight of all his hard manliness. Gods praise Quiddich.

I gave him a face and he rolled his eyes, muttering "_Accio shorts_" and a pair of blue booty shorts came to rest in his hands. He threw them at me and they hit my face, dropping into my hands. I stuck my tongue out at him and pulled them on under Fred's flannel. I would get too hot to wear robes today.

"Come on, put on some clothes Mr. Incredible. I doubt we'll have time for a big breakfast this morning. We have to finish cleaning the house and we only have a few days till school starts." Fred leaped to his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans and a plain white tee that outlined his muscles. Gods, did he always have to look so good? Couldn't he, for once, look ugly so I didn't have to disguise the aching he invoked in me for some ungodly reason? I had to concentrate from keeping my hair from turning pink at the sight of him.

I hopped on his back and he apparated us downstairs to the kitchen. Kissing his neck, I hopped off and made us both some toast, putting Marmite on his and Nutella on mine. He bit into his with a moan that made my womanly parts quiver.

"I don't understand how you can eat that. It tastes like ear wax!" I commented with a face of disgust. Biting into my own hunk of toast, I made a noise of delight. "Bow faz dewizus!" I mumbled through my toast.

"That's gross! It looks like dragon dung!" he pointed to my half- eaten bread. I scoffed.

"But it tastes like chocolaty heaven," I commented with a moan, closing my eyes.

He scooped me back up onto his back, his throat working to swallow the rest of his toast and chasing it down with some pumpkin juice. Seconds later we ended up in the drawing room with the rest of my toast, his glass of juice, and me still on his back.

This was one of the places we hadn't cleaned yet because it was one of the biggest rooms. I quickly scarfed down the rest of my toast and guzzled the pumpkin juice, which Fred sent back downstairs with a flick of his wand. I hopped off my pony and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for the ride, studly steed," I curtsied.

"My pleasure, pretty princess," he bowed in response. Ginny and George shared a look between them. Harry and Ron finally entered the room a second later and we all got to work.

We all donned a dish cloth over our nose and mouth, and I tied my long (curly today), burgundy hair up in a pony tail. Molly handed out large bottles of Doxycide.

"Cover your faces and take a spray," Molly said to the boys. "It's Doxycide. I've never seen an infestation this bad - what that house-elf's been doing for the last ten years-"

Hermione's face sent a sad look Molly's way. "Kreacher's really old, he probably couldn't manage -"

"You'd be surprised what Kreacher can manage when he wants to, Hermione," said Sirius, entering the room carrying a sack of what looked like dead rats. "I've just been feeding Buckbeak," he added, in reply to Harry's inquiring look. "I keep him upstairs in my mother's bedroom. Anyway… this writing desk…" He dropped the bag of rats into an armchair, then bent over to examine a locked, shaking cabinet.

They talked a bit more and then Sirius left to shut his mother- who was screaming again- up and to answer the doorbell.

"Right, you lot, you need to be careful, because Doxys bite and their teeth are poisonous. I've got a bottle of antidote here, but I'd rather nobody needed it." Molly beckoned us all forward to the curtains. "When I say the word, start spraying immediately," she said. "They'll come flying out at us, I expect, but it says on the sprays one good squirt will paralyze them. When they're immobilized, just throw them in this bucket."

She raised her spray. "All right - squirt!"

I pressed my thumb down and a line of black liquid shot out of the nozzle, hitting the moth- eaten velvet. A Doxy flew out at me and I laughed, immediately spraying it. It fell to the floor with a thunk and I tossed it into the basket.

"Fred, what are you doing?" said Molly sharply. "Spray that at once and throw it away!" I looked up to see Fred holding a Doxy between his forefinger and thumb. I shook my head. They were going to keep them to figure out what joke items they could be of use for.

"Right-o,' Fred said brightly, spraying the Doxy and shoving it in his pocket, with a wink to Harry, when Molly turned.

"We want to experiment with Doxy venom for our Skiving Snackboxes," George told Harry under his breath. I continued to spray the devious creatures and throw them in the bucket so Molly would think they were Fred and George's and there didn't appear to be any less than expected.

Harry muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "What are Skiving Snackboxes?"

"Range of sweets to make you ill," George whispered back. I kept a wary eye on Molly's back. "Not seriously ill, mind, just ill enough to get you out of a class when you feel like it. Fred and I have been developing them this summer. They're double-ended, color-coded chews. If you eat the orange half of the Puking Pastilles, you throw up. Moment you've been rushed out of the lesson for the hospital wing, you swallow the purple half –"

"-which restores you to full fitness, enabling you to pursue the leisure activity of your own choice during an hour that would otherwise have been devoted to unprofitable boredom. That's what we're putting in the adverts, anyway," whispered Fred, sweeping a few stray Doxys from the floor and adding them to his pocket.

"Fred, be careful," I hissed. "If she sees you, all three of us are dead." He nodded absently. Did he always have to be the one to take the risks?

"But they still need a bit of work. At the moment our testers are having a bit of trouble stopping puking long enough to swallow the purple end."

"Testers?"

"Us," said Fred, nodding to me. "We take it in turns. George did the Fainting Fancies - we all tried the Nosebleed Nougat -"

"Mum thought we'd been dueling," said George. I grinned when I remembered how Molly had screeched at the three of us.

"Joke shop still on, then?" Harry muttered, pretending to be adjusting the nozzle on his spray.

"Well, we haven't had a chance to get premises yet," said Fred, "so we're running it as a mail-order service at the moment. We put advertisements in the Daily Prophet last week."

"All thanks to you, mate," said George. "But don't worry… Mum hasn't got a clue. She won't read the Daily Prophet anymore, 'cause of it telling lies about you and Dumbledore."

Harry grinned, obviously happy he could help them in their joke shop and that it was still a secret to Molly.

It was around midday now. I was currently having a nice little fantasy about the joke shop when molten pain flashed up my right arm. I dropped my Doxycide and screamed, staring at the Doxy that had its teeth sunk into my arm. I flailed my arm, trying to get it off, which only made it clamp down harder. I whimpered, shaking my arm harder, as I watched the tips of my hair grow black in pain. I felt a cold spray and my arm was covered in black goop as Ron sprayed the little deviant creeper. Molly ran over to carefully pull the stunned Doxy's teeth from my arm. I was starting to feel faint, sleepy almost. I gripped the side of a dusty couch to steady myself.

"Get the antidote!" Molly screamed wildly, seeing my distress. Stars had started to appear in front of my eyes. A potion was shoved down my mouth and despite the disgusting taste, I reflexively swallowed. My vision got spotty as the last of the drink went down my throat and I could feel myself falling. I landed in someone's arms as I slowly began to regain my vision. Then I could feel my legs again. I was slightly shaking as the person cradled me safely against their chest. Slowly I came back to myself fully.

"Horrible creatures," I groaned as I sat up in the person's lap. I turned to see it was George who had caught me. "Thanks George, you're a love." I kissed his cheek and stood.

"Oh gosh I do think we're done here. Blayne, you sit and don't move a muscle. You almost died! We'll all go over the curtains once more," Molly called. I sat with a huff down on one of the straight- backed wooden chairs. After they had finished, everyone threw off their rags, me included. Molly sat down into an armchair and sprang up again with a scream, having sat on the bag of dead rats. The curtains were finally no longer buzzing and we were all exhausted.

Just a typical day in the most ancient and noble house of Black.


	8. Summer is Over

The next morning was to be Harry's meeting. I was worried for him; the poor boy had already been through so much. Before we scuttled into bed that night, I wandered into his room to talk to him alone, shoving Ron out the door.

"I know you're worried about this thing tomorrow, but I want you to know we're all here for you. Harry, you're the most wonderful and brave boy I know. Don't let these bratty adults who think they know everything tell you otherwise. Trust me. You've defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named on countless occasions; I think you can handle the Ministry of Magic. They've got nothing on you boy," I grinned, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Dumbledore will surely have your back, and this entire house does as well. There may be some people out there who are naïve, but we are not, and we trust you. I have faith in you, Harry. Don't forget that."

"Thanks Blayne," he muttered.

"Just remember Harry, I love you like you are my own little brother. If you ever need anything, ever, just come to me. I can always squeeze you in, bud." I leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Don't worry, you'll do fantastically. Sleep well, Harry." I disappeared through the door. I didn't know how much I had done for Harry, and I assumed it wasn't much, but I felt better knowing that he knew I was on his side.

I walked back up to my bedroom and fell asleep instantly.

* * *

When we woke up the next morning, Harry and Arthur had gone. With a yawn, I stumbled into the kitchen in my ripped and washed out flare jeans and white tank top. I tripped over my feet sleepily and caught myself before I fell, sitting down at the table next to Bill.

"Mornin'," I greeted, slumping down into my chair and pouring myself some porridge. I dusted it with some cinnamon and brown sugar and started to eat.

I swallowed some apple juice in between bites and made polite, sleepy conversation with everyone around the table. I wondered how Harry was doing at his meeting thing and how long they'd been gone.

All of a sudden the door opened, startling me from my thoughts.

"Free of all charges!" Arthur shouted happily upon entering the room. Everyone leaped from their seats and roared happily.

"I knew it!" yelled Ron, punching the air. "You always get away with stuff!"

"They were bound to clear you," said Hermione, holding a shaking hand over her eyes, "there was no case against you, none at all."

"I _told_ you Harry!" I giggled, like all the weight on my shoulders had been lifted. I was so relieved!

"Everyone seems quite relieved, though, considering you all knew I'd get off," said Harry, smiling. Mrs. Weasley was wiping her face on her apron, and Fred, George and Ginny were doing a kind of war dance to a chant that went: "He got off, he got off, he got off…"

"That's enough! Settle down!" shouted Arthur, though he too was smiling. "Listen, Sirius, Lucius Malfoy was at the Ministry -"

"What?" said Sirius sharply.

"He got off, he got off, he got off…" I had joined in now.

"Be quiet, you four! Yes, we saw him talking to Fudge on Level Nine, then they went up to Fudge's office together. Dumbledore ought to know."

"Absolutely," said Sirius. "We'll tell him, don't worry."

"Well, I'd better get going, there's a vomiting toilet waiting for me in Bethnal Green. Molly, I'll be late, I'm covering for Tonks, but Kingsley might be dropping in for dinner -"

"He got off, he got off, he got off…" I started to dance around with my fingers pointed in the air like the Muggle child song and dance, The Hokey Pokey.

"That's enough - Fred - George – Blayne - Ginny!" cried Molly. Arthur left to go back to work. We all sat down and listened to the tale of Harry's miraculous clearing.

"HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF, HE GOT OFF!"

* * *

We had been trying for _days_ to get Molly to let us go to the pond behind the Burrow. We argued that we hadn't had a proper summer and we couldn't do any of the things we had wanted to do. I personally was missing the sun. I hadn't been outside in like two weeks. I could see where Sirius had gotten his grumpy attitude from now.

After about a week of constant nagging, she gave in. She almost made us take an adult, like Bill, but everyone was far too busy to accompany a bunch of kids to a hidden pond that nobody would be able to find.

So, three days before the end of our summer break, I got to swim for the first time that summer. Thank the gods, I was going stir-crazy!

I threw on my bikini- a black stringy two- piece that was covered in splattered paint. I then pulled on a tight sleeve dress and a pair of flip flops and turned my hair a curly bouncy blonde with pink highlights. I threw on my big sunglasses and grabbed my shoulder bag, and met up with everyone in the now- clean drawing room.

When Molly had finished lecturing us about everything we needed to remember that she was sure we wouldn't, we took turns side- apparating with Fred and George. When we all arrived in the soft grass beside the crystal blue waters of the lake, we set up camp.

Ginny put the picnic basket for lunch in the grass by the picnic blanket and then set her towel up next to mine not far away. Hermione, in her modest Bermuda shorts and short- sleeved shirt (with a hint of a one piece bathing suit underneath) sat down on the blanket and pulled out a book. The four boys all immediately jumped into the water, their heads popping up and shouting 'the water's fine!' back at us.

Ginny and I shared a devious look before shedding our outer layers and running towards the water. I did a cannonball into it, making an admittedly small wave, and Ginny did a graceful dive behind me.

We all swam around for a while, happy to be with each other and away from the constant nagging adults. Hermione was a little party pooper, content to stay and read while we started up a game of chicken.

George grabbed me first, claiming me the 'fiercest', to which I playfully growled and made tiger claws. Ginny laughed and swam over to Fred, which left Ron and Harry.

Arguing ensued.

"I'll be on top, I'm lighter," Ron said.

"No, I want bottom, you'll crush me!" Harry argued.

"But you're better at top."

"The top's for the girls anyways."

"But you're going to be too heavy!"

"You'll be just as heavy for me if you're on top, dude."

"Hahaahahaha I've never seen a couple argue about their sexual position this much before," I laughed. Both boys turned red. "Harry, you take top. Then all the Weasley men will be on bottom." With a grin of triumph, Harry mounted Ron (heh).

When we were all on top of our partners, Hermione, our self- appointed referee, called start. Ginny and I nodded to each other, descending on Harry and, after an easy battle, forced him to topple off his freckled friend and into the water.

"Haha Harry, you can defeat the Dark Lord and get off free of charges at the Ministry but you can't beat two girls at chicken!" I called teasingly at the blob of black hair floating above the water.

I looked to Ginny. I would have to fight her now. George tightened his grip on my now- dry calves and steadied me, advancing on his siblings. I reached out my hands and shoved against Ginny's shoulders. She didn't move.

She shoved me back just as hard and I tilted backwards but regained balance with the help of George. After a fierce, to quote George again, battle, my lack of balance got the best of me. I fell into the water, still holding onto my fellow prankster with my legs, and sputtered when I came up.

"Ha, shows you right for being so cocky," Ginny mocked.

"Nahhh!" I stuck my tongue out at her and swiped my hair from my eyes, pulling myself up out of the water and to the picnic blanket. "I'm famished."

"Me too! Lunchh!" Fred called, barreling through the grass like a Muggle rhino. We all pulled out our sandwiches and Butterbeer, sitting down in a circle on the blanket.

"Who's excited to go back to Hogy-warts?" I sang. Everyone raised their hands excitedly. I smiled.

"I wonder if Dumbledore's found a new Defense teacher. He was having a tough time a few weeks ago," Hermione commented.

"Nobody wants the job, obviously. Everyone else in that position has had something terrible happen to them." Ron sighed.

"Oh well, I hope this one lasts." I took a large bite out of my sandwich.

"_I_ hope this one doesn't rat our pranks out," Fred wished.

"That'll be the day," George said wistfully.

* * *

On the last day of holiday, our book lists arrived.

"Finally!" I exclaimed, running my eyes down mine. "I thought they'd never come!"

We were sitting in the twins' room. I was sat on Fred's bed, in his lap while he held his arms around my waist and Ginny and George were on George's bed, Ginny lying down horizontally and George sitting behind her against the wall.

After perusing our lists and finding nothing different about them at all except for two new books, the level 6 Spell book and a new Defense book, which was to be expected, George and Fred went to go find out who the new Defense teacher was by visiting the trio.

I decided to take a nap.

* * *

I was woken up by a loud screech below me. Sounded like Molly. When I made it to Ron and Harry's door, there seemed to be a loud ruckus going on inside.

"Somebody get a Howler?" I asked absently as I wandered in.

"A prefect! That's everyone in the family!" Molly was shrieking.

"What are Fred and I, next-door neighbors?" said George indignantly, as Molly pushed him aside and flung her arms around Ron.

"I must be your maid," I commented, coming between the twins as they slung both their arms around my neck.

"Wait until your father hears! Ron, I'm so proud of you, what wonderful news, you could end up Head Boy just like Bill and Percy, it's the first step! Oh, what a thing to happen in the middle of all this worry, I'm just thrilled, oh, Ronnie —"

"_Wait_ a second, Ron's a _prefect_?" I gasped. Fred nodded gravely. "Oh _no_! Do y'know what this _means_?"

Fred and George turned to me in question. "We get to tease him mercilessly!" I shouted triumphantly. They grinned just as deviously back at me.

After some teasing of Ron's new position, we all Disapparated back upstairs to pack our trunks. I was so excited to be going back to Hogwarts, where I truly belonged. It was my home away from home, and I missed its hidden passages and secret magic. It was enchanting, enthralling, and I loved it.

It took me a long time to retrieve everything I had scattered about the house while we had been there. The boys and I made our way to every room, combing it for things we may have left behind.

It was around dinner time when Molly arrived back with our books. Tonks had paid her in advance for mine, and I accepted them excitedly. I dunno why, but I always loved getting new books, textbook or not. I loved to read. Too bad I didn't often have time.

Setting them into my trunk on top of everything else, I wandered downstairs after the smell of food, my two boys trailing behind. Entering the kitchen, the first thing I saw was the huge banner over the dinner table.

CONGRATULATIONS

RON AND HERMIONE

NEW PREFECTS

I groaned. This wasn't going to go away any time soon. While I had top marks in all my classes and may be considered one of the best in my class, I knew the reason I wasn't a prefect. I was best friends with the most troublesome boys at Hogwarts; I often caused their pranks and helped them create them. I didn't blame the twins, I loved the role I played, but I was often jealous, as I knew they were, of everyone else who became prefects. I suppose that's why we teased them so much- we were simply jealous.

The "party" soon got underway when Bill and Arthur arrived. I was enjoying the food aspect of Hermione and Ron getting prefect as I loaded up my plate with goodies.

The boys gravitated towards Mundungus. I really didn't like the man, though he did give good and rare substances for cheep to our cause. I kept a careful eye on them to make sure that Mundungus wasn't cheating them out of their money and Harry came over to observe. A few minutes later Mundungus's face turned scared and he dumped a few Venomous Tentacula seeds into George's outstretched hands. Fred threw the older man some coins and they scurried off to their bedroom with a wave in my direction. I shook my head and wandered over to Molly so she was I was there and didn't think the twins had gone anywhere- we were usually always together.

"Isn't it just wonderful? I'm just so proud of my Ron. Of course, it's not a huge surprise to any of us! I'm just jumping for joy about Hermione as well!" she cooed in the direction of her son and his bushy- haired friend.

"I know, I'm happy for them. They deserve it. I hardly see Hermione without her head in a book anymore," I commented, smiling over at the girl. She blushed and struck up conversation with Ginny, and the two proceeded to giggle like two little girls over something.

I sighed and shook my head, feeling the weight of the day press down on me. Gosh I was tired. I wandered the room for a bit, adding my input to conversations here and there, until I came upon Moody and Sirius. Behind them, Harry fled up the stairs. I wondered what had happened.

"What's that Moody?" I asked. He turned and grunted, putting an enchanted picture on the table before him so both Sirius and I could see. In the photograph were a group of people with tattered edges and all in wizarding robes with smiling faces. They all looked happy, though some a bit weathered, and many had their arms around each other in comradeship.

I noticed a few people right off the bat. Neville's parents, beaming at each other and holding an infant in their arms, angling him to the picture. Oh poor Neville… A little bit ways away there was Hagrid, as burly as ever, and I saw Moody who hadn't aged a day. Dumbley-dore looked exactly the same, though a bit less tired. I noticed a younger Lupin who looked fifty years younger and like he was having the time of his life, his arm slung around Sirius. Sirius had fashioned his hair short and while still unruly, he looked young and handsome. His face was lively and he ruffled the hair of an infant on the ground, hardly noticeable unless you looked hard- that was Harry. He looked adorable, and his forehead was scar-less. Sitting on a step right next to him was his mum, Lily, beaming at the camera and tilting her head adoringly towards her baby. A gross, rat-looking man was sat next to her with a puss on his face. I knew who that was as well- the Potter's secret keeper and betrayer, Wormtail. God that bastard…

Everyone was right, harry was the spitting image of his dad. James sat next to Wormtail, playfully shoving his friend at the time and waving at the camera. I shifted to their left, and beaming at the camera with a little six- year old on his shoulders was my dad. Tonks was laughing and flailing her arms about, her hair a bright pink bob and her eyes dancing. Mum had her arm around Dad's back and held a two- year old in her arms.

"That's you," Sirius smiled and pointed to the baby. I recognized myself at once.

I wore a cute little purple dress with bows on the sides and frills everywhere and my hair was in long, deep purple ringlets down my back. I was giggling and smiling up at my mommy adoringly. When I looked close, I noticed two tufts of bright red hair peeking out behind my mom's back.

Sirius then pointed out the Prewett brothers- Molly's brothers- who had 'died like heros' and Dumbledore's brother Aberforth. Dedalus Diggle and Marelene McKinnon, who died two weeks after the picture was taken along with her entire family. Sirius pointed out Benjy Fenwick who they only found bits and pieces of. Emmeline Vance whom I had met before, and an Edgar Bones who had died along with his family. Elphias Doge was there, a family friend, and Caradoc Dearborn had vanished six months later then this picture and they had never found his body. Sturgis Podmore and a Dorcas Meadowes whom Voldemort had killed personally.

All these wonderful people, all dead. It was terrible. I hated that every time I recognized someone who was still living I got a start of surprise. Turning away with bleary eyes, my stomach twisted uncomfortably.

I had a terrible, terrible feeling about this upcoming war.


	9. Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogy, Hogy, Hogwarts

**Updating again! Going back to Hogwarts- finally! Okay so I'm updating because I got a review- see a patern? You review, I update. Though I've only written up to part ten so I'm going to have to get a move on so I can update faster. Sorry, school just started again and it's crazy, I don't get home till five then I have to do homework and just sleep. So sorry to keep you waiting.**

**Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**

"We're finally getting out of this godawful house!" I cried, waking up and jumping out of Fred's arms, whom I had slept with the night before as a sort of it's-the-last-night-of-holiday gift to myself.

"Thank Merlin," George grumbled, looking around the room for anything he had forgotten. I ran to Ginny and I's room and grabbed my trunk, shouting her a hello as I flung it open to grab my clothes for the day off the top- a pair of ripped jean shorts and a black tube top. Influenced by the picture the night before, I bit my bottom lip and turned my hair to be a deep gorgeous purple that fell to my waist and curled in ringlets. I grabbed my mascara and eyeliner and ran it over my eyes, swiped some Chapstick across my lips, and dusted some bright pink blush across the apples of my cheeks.

Then I grabbed the end of my trunk by one of the handles and tugged, grunting with the effort. I walked backwards through the hall behind the twins who were hovering their trunks in the air before them as I dragged my own behind me.

"Here Blayne, let me do that," George offered, waving his wand in my direction and causing his own trunk to thump to the floor.

"It's quite alright. I'll get this!" I didn't want him messing with my trunk!

"If you say so," he sang, and with a swoosh of his wand sent his and Fred's trunks soaring down the stairs and straight into Ginny, falling down two flights of stairs and opening into the hall.

"FRED AND GEORGE!" Molly screamed, flailing her arms and yelling obscenities at her sons. Mrs. Black added her own shouting to the din. I shook my head and hoisted my trunk into my lap as I sat on the top of the stairs. Then I forced my bum to fall down each stair like I used to when I was a child and didn't like to walk down the stairs.

Hermione and Harry, looking disheveled, flew down the stairs before me. I rolled my eyes. Running was going to get them there no faster.

I heard angry voices complain about how the guard would be one person short if Podmore wasn't there. I huffed. A guard to go to a _train station_!

When I hopped down to the bottom stairs, I heaved my trunk behind me to the door, leaving it there so I could eat breakfast and not worry about it. I skipped downstairs to the kitchen and flung the door open with a bang.

"Good morning, my fellow Hogwartians!" I called, helping myself to some eggs and toast on the table. I poured myself some pumpkin juice and noisily swallowed it while I shoveled the eggs into my mouth.

"Someone's chipper," Bill observed with a raised eyebrow.

"Well you should always be chipper, Bill-ster, as your getting some serious sexin' most days," I nodded my head to him, referring to the many missing moments he wasn't accounted for at work or here. Oh Fleury- Fleur.

He sputtered and looked at me wide- eyed. I shrugged my shoulders and deposited my now- empty plate into the sink.

"Don't forget to write and tell me all about Fleur, big brother. You know how I hate to be in the dark about your relationships." I bent over to quickly kiss him on the cheek and then flitted out the door and into the now- full hall. Everyone was screaming over each other and I had to jump over the millions of trunks to get to the twins.

"What in the name of Merlin's baggiest trousers is going on in here!" I screamed over everyone. The trio shrugged their shoulders in response and Sirius in dog- form came bounding up to Harry, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth. I rolled my eyes as we all shoved out the door into the morning. The door slammed behind us and the sounds shut off immediately. It was quiet again. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was getting a headache.

I smiled and took in the gorgeous sun bouncing off the sidewalk. It surely was a chipper day.

"Where's Tonks?" I heard Harry ask. Molly replied "Just up here" and Sirius jumped around us, leaping up happily. That dude had a serious case of stir- crazy.

I saw Tonks' bright purple hair about five minutes into our walk. She stopped me for a second. I walked over to her, still unhappy with her decision to not let me in on the Order secrets. Thus far I had gotten away with the bare minimum of talking to her. I crossed my arms over my chest and stuck my hip out.

"What?" I asked.

"I know you're still upset with me. I'm so sorry Blayne. If I had the permission to allow you to stay and listen, I would have let you. But I couldn't honey. I'm not Mum and Dad. But I love you. Will you… will you accept my white flag?" She pulled her hand from behind her back and revealed a beautiful white owl cage with an adorable baby owl. She had the biggest black eyes and an adorable yellow beak with slight white/yellowish feathers.

"OHMIGOD! Nymph! My own owl?" I screamed, taking the cage from her and hugging it to my chest. "I love it already! Is it a boy or a girl?"

"She's a little baby girl," Tonks smiled, glad I was so happy with her gift.

"Oh my gosh I love her! Thank you sooo much Nymphie!" I cried, hugging her to me close, moving my new baby out of the way. I already knew her name. "I'm going to name her Selene. Goddess of the moon." I smiled.

"Perfect. Well you better get a move on before they leave without you," Tonks laughed, pointed to the parade of people marching towards Kings Cross.

"Okay I love you Nymph, I'll write! Have a good week!" I hugged her to me tightly and ran to catch up with the twins, being careful of my new pet.

"Meet Selene, my new baby owl," I smiled, proudly displaying her to George and Fred.

"Haha aww cute," George said, taking her from me and playing with her in her cage. I let them play for a while and leaned on Fred.

"Ready for this year?" I asked, turning my head up to him. He gave me a quirky smile.

"Of course. They can't throw anything at me that I can't handle." He leaned down and kissed the top of my head. I smiled happily.

"I'm just wondering what crazy thing the Golden Trio will get into this year," I giggled.

"Hopefully not something that involves you," he squeezed me to him tighter. My heart gave a little start in response.

We arrived at King's Cross station for the next ten minutes. I started to skip when I got inside, swinging Fred and mine intertwined hands.

"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hogy, Hogy, Hogwarts!" I sang, skipping my way to the barrier.

"Shhh!" Molly reprimanded. I shrugged and smiled, skipping right through the barrier to Platform 9 3/4. Immediately I was assaulted with the familiar smell of the steam and the big bright red Hogwarts Express. Hundreds of wizards milled around with their children and trunks and tons of owls alike, hooting happily.

Sirius was wagging his tail happily, loving to be out an about and Molly rounded on me when she came through the platform last.

"Blayne Tonks! Statue of Secrecy! Do you not have any sense of self- preservation? What if a Muggle looked over and saw you go straight through that wall? The entire Wizarding World could have been ousted!" she cried, brandishing her wand like a sword at me.

"Sorry Molly, won't happen again," I said dismissively, tugging on Fred's hand and pulling him closer to the train. The others did their things around me and all of a sudden I was twirled around by a flash of dreadlocks.

"'Ello Blayne!" he called, putting me down.

"Oof. G'morning Lee. Summer's been alright?" I asked, grinning up at him.

"Wonderful. But I can't wait to get back to wreck havoc on the new DADA teacher!" he cried. I smiled and told Lee we'd meet up with him on the train.

We all made our way back to the group to say goodbye. I hugged Molly cheerfully and waved goodbye.

George slung his arm around my shoulders and Fred wrapped his arm around my waist and the three of us walked happily onto the train.

The trio and Ginny followed us onto the train where Lee met up with us. The train jerked and we were off, on our way to Hogwarts.

"He shouldn't have come with us," Hermione said, waving out a window and referring to Padfoot.

"Oh, lighten up. He hasn't seen daylight for months, poor bloke." Ron rolled his eyes at Hermione.

"Well," Fred said and clapped his hands together, rewrapping one around my waist afterwards, "can't stand around chatting all day, we've got business to discuss with Lee. See you later." I waved cheerfully to the group and hopped through the corridor to the right.

"Where shall we go?" I asked. "Look, everyone's already gotten compartments!" I sighed.

"Here, there's an empty one," George said, motioning to the very last compartment to the left. We all piled in and sat on the comfy velvet seats. I sat on the one to the right by the window, stretching out and throwing my legs over Lee's.

"Oof it feels good to relax. Missed ya Leester." I stretched my arms up over my head and reached into my trunk, which Moody had handed to us as we boarded the train, to grab my book. While the boys started to discuss the business matters of the joke business, of which I tried not to get too invested in, instead helping them with the fun parts, I snuggled in to read all about the life of a witch in the courts of Medieval England.

* * *

About an hour later, George and Lee left to go find the trolley lady and then try to find some first years who would like to take part in our testing business. I set my book down and turned to Fred.

"I'm bored," I whined.

"What am I supposed to do about it?" he retorted. I shrugged and told him to cheer me up. "I dunno how."

"Grr fine. Just cuddle me then," I yawned, crawling over to his side of the compartment and curling up into his side. He wrapped his arm around me and I slowly fell asleep against him.

* * *

I woke up to the smell of candy under my nose. I groaned and moved my mouth towards it, only to find it being moved away from my mouth every time I tried. I grumbled and opened my eyes, glaring at the offending hand.

"Whoever is denying me my sweets better drop it before they lose a hand," I warned.

"Come on, get up you sod. It's time to get changed and then we're going to play a quick game of Never Have I Ever because we're bored." I sat up- I had ended up in Fred's lap- and brushed my hair out of my eyes.

"'Kay, everybody out, I'll change in here then." They all left, slightly grumbling, and I opened my trunk to pull out my robes and uniform.

About to close the top, I tripped over it and landed on my ass over it, with all my clothes and toiletries scattered about. I cursed, quickly dusting myself off and throwing it all back in, knowing I had to be fast before the boys got back.

I flung off my clothes so I stood there in my black lace push up bra and matching g-string. Just as I grabbed my skirt to pull it up over my legs, the door opened. I jumped around to find none other than Fred staring at me with an open mouth. I rolled my eyes and followed his gaze down my body to find him appraising my boobs and following the lines of my flat stomach down towards my sweet spot and then down my legs. I giggled.

"Like what you see?" I asked, my voice seeming deeper, pulling him from his stupor and poising my hand on my hip. His eyes shot up to my own and he smirked.

"And what if I do?" he replied, his own voice taking on a huskier tone. The atmosphere in the compartment turned heavy, the electricity between us palpable.

"Then you should do something about it," I countered darkly, skimming my hand over my hips and up to my chest. His eyes blazed hot, following the trail I made and taking a step forward towards me. I leaned closer to him in anticipation and waited as his hand reached up to take mine from its spot on my cleavage. I held my breath, my eyes poised to close, and my heart stuttering. His hand was poised right in front of mine and it was coming closer... almost there...

And then we toppled forward onto the ground as the train hit a patch of uneven track.

"Shit," I swore, rolling off Fred as someone banged into the door two compartments down outside. The moment was ruined. I scrambled around, pulling up my skirt and quickly throwing my white Oxford over my bra. I buttoned it as fast as I could and threw on my robes while Fred sat on one of the benches and I struggled to flatten my disheveled hair and look presentable. I was tying up my bright purple Converse and looking pretty normal when George and Lee swung the door open.

"So, who wants to start?" Lee asked, sitting down opposite Fred and me. He passed out the Butterbeers to each of us. I breathed a sigh of relief as they obviously hadn't noticed a thing.

"I will. Never have I ever kissed a boy," George said. I rolled my eyes and took a swig of my beer, indicating I had done it. The only other person that did it was Lee. We all looked at him with strange looks.

"What? I was curious!" he defended. I laughed and he said his. "Never have I ever laughed so hard I peed."

All three of us took a drink and laughed at the others. "Oh God remember when Percy-"

"Yes!" I shouted, doubling over with laughter at the remembrance. Fred went next.

"Never have I ever gotten a carpet burn from fooling around on the floor," he said. I boldly took a drink with George. Fred looked at me surprised.

"What?" I asked honestly. He just shook his head. I shrugged and said, "Never have I ever bought condoms." Everybody except me drank. I laughed hard. "Wow, who knew."

"Oh shut up. Never have I ever been south of the 'border'," Lee confessed. Fred drank. Of course.

"Never have I ever lost my gum while making out." I drank.

"Never have I ever fooled around on a broom." Nobody.

"Never have I ever been walked in on while I showered." All of us except Lee drank- he was an only child (and the one who said the "never have I ever").

"Never have I ever danced around my room naked." George and I took a drink and then I was out of Butterbeer. I shrugged and we all handed the Trolley lady our cups as she went by for the final time.

"Good game guys," I said, pulling the end of a taffy out of my mouth and chewing on the other end. With a lurch the train came to a stop and I shoveled the rest of the candy into my trunk. "Sublivacius," I muttered, aiming at my trunk now that we were at Hogwarts and I was allowed again. My trunk became ten times lighter and I hoisted it up and grabbed Selene, exiting the train with the twins. Lee said he had to do some sort of business and would catch up with us later. Descending the train, I noticed Hogwarts in the distance.

Ah, a new year.


	10. Bimbos are Brainless

**just finished part 10 so i figured i needed to update to keep everyone interested. sorry it took so long, i got stuck. writers block sucks. but hey, encouragement always helps to unblock those braincells. review? please and thanks 3 usual disclaimers apply.**

**ps: as mentioned below, check out my profile for the link to my photobucket for Blayne's crazy schedule. and check out the cast listing while you're there!**

**sorry this ones a little short. next ones epic. anybody have any ideas as to where i should take the story or what should happen? want fluff? angst? romance or adventure? any story ideas are greatly appreciated. i know the outline but not the little details or story lines along the way in the big scheme of things. review, let me know what you're all thinking. thanks!**

I sat down with a humph, Fred on my left and George on my right. I scanned the Great Hall absently and chatted excitedly with the boys as other Gryffindors came up to hug me and say hello. The group of first years came stumbling through the hall and the Sorting Hat began to sing.

When he was done, I sat in shocked silence. Tilting my head to a twin, I murmured as I slowly applauded, "What the hell's with his new song?"

"No ruddy idea," Fred grunted back, leaning towards me, his eyes on the hat.

"This year's going to be weird…" I muttered. McGonagall proceeded in reading the names of the firsties and I hardly listened, watching instead behind her at the staff table.

"Where's Hagrid?" I asked, alarmed. His big, towering presence was missing; it wasn't the same without Hagrid there.

"Oh Merlin. You're right." George's eyes went wide as he scanned the table.

"The Order knows, for sure. He has to be safe," I mumbled, feeling my stomach fill with dread.

"Don't worry, Hagrid's got to be fine. He's half-giant for Merlin's sake. Nobody's got anything on him." Fred continued to look at the front of the room. "Now _there's_ cause for worry."

"What the _bloody_ hell is she wearing?" I whisper- shouted. I took in the short, grubby looking woman at the table covered head to toe in a disastrous pink color. "Does she think that color _flatters_ her?"

"Excuse me…" George leaned over and put a finger down his throat, making fake gagging noises.

"Oh good lord… I better not have to deal with her often," I scrunched my face up, hiding it in Fred's robes for a second before Dumbledore's voice echoed through the room.

"To our newcomers," he said, smiling, "welcome! To our old hands - welcome back! There is a time for speechmaking, but this is not it. Tuck in!" I laughed, clapping my hands. Dumbledore always had a way of making me smile and relax.

Plates upon plates had arrived and I shoveled large helpings onto my own plate, suddenly noticing how hungry I was. Starting to eat, the boys began discussing what we would do for a welcome back prank. They were discussing possibly sticking Gryffindors and Slytherins in a room to see what would happen when I shot them down, shoving my plate away from me.

"Oh no, I will not be stuck in a room with that pug- faced bitch and be expected to not murder her," I told them, referring to Pansy Parkinson. They shrugged and were moving on to another idea when Dumbledore stood up again.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too." I rolled my eyes, thinking of Ron, Hermione, and Harry.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." Everyone clapped politely, except for me. I refused to praise her god-awful choice of clothing. And I groaned at the fact that yes, I would have to deal with her often as she was one of my new professors.

Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the -"

He cut off and looked at the awful lady. She cleared her throat and got to her feet, intending to make a speech. I looked at her with my mouth hanging open; who did this woman think she was? Dumbledore happily stood down and I watched, disgusted.

"Thank you, Headmaster for those kind words of welcome," she began in a sickeningly sweet and high-pitched voice. She 'hem, hem'ed again and I felt a little bile rise in my throat. God she was revolting.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!" I gagged, looking around and seeing everyone look at her sour-faced, clearly disliking being addressed as infants.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

I looked to my left and right with a smirk. Friends, indeed.

The toad continued to talk about Ministry of Magic crap, to which I tuned out until she had gone. The parts that I did catch made my stomach turn. Dumbledore clapped when she sat down, then the staff, but I refused again.

Dumbledore got up to "praise" the speech and I gave him a face. What was our beloved Headmaster doing, encouraging her? She was so clearly here on Ministry orders to cause complete change at Hogwarts.

"This year will not be very good, I fear, with her around," I muttered, glowering darkly at the old lady.

"Perhaps we'll have to deal with her ourselves then. We can't have her ruining our fun now can we?" Fred chuckled almost frighteningly.

* * *

When we were dismissed, I grabbed a hand in each of mine and stomped up the stairs, not minding the crowd of people that parted before me with looks of slight fear.

"What does that woman think she's going to do? Just change our beloved school without any obstacles? Well she's got another thing coming!" I raged, feeling my hair turn red, thumping up the stairs and standing in front of the Fat Lady with a startled expression. In my haste, I had forgotten to get the password. "Oh bother. You guys know it?"

"Nope." A flash of red hair flew by and Ginny grinned at us.

"Oh hey guys! Forgot to get the password again?" she giggled at me. I nodded with a small smile. She laughed and told the portrait "Mimbulus mimbletonia" to which she said "correct" and swung open.

"Thanks Fat L, you're the bomb," I called, continuing on inside to the common room. "Ginny can you believe the nerve of that toad?" I cried exasperatedly, falling into my designated armchair by the fire.

"She certainly does lack some, urm, style," she offered. I shook my head and rested it in my hand. The two boys went to the noticeboard and posted their message about the products they offered and their business of employing willing taste-testers.

"I loathe her already. She better not get in my way," I growled. Harry walked through the portrait with Neville and immediately up to his dormitory. I waved to him and he sent a small wave back looking distressed about something. I frowned. Poor boy.

Suddenly I was overcome with a wave of drowsiness. It had been a long day. I wanted nothing more than to crawl in bed and sleep. My hair turned back to its normal colour as I bid goodnight to Ginny and hugged her, walking over to the boys and hugging each one in turn as well.

"I'll see you in the morning. Meet you normal time, normal place. It's good to be back." With a smile and a wave, I stumbled up the stairs to my dormitory and without a look in either direction, crawled into bed by my trunk and immediately fell asleep, still in my uniform.

* * *

I woke up slowly the next morning, sitting up in bed and stretching my arms high over my head. Looking around the room, most of the girls were getting up as well.

Leanne LaFolle was rummaging around in her trunk at the end of the bed. Next to her, Katie Bell yawned and started to pull on her robes. Still rolling around in her bed was Calista Briar and Peyton Pency, who was on the other side of my bed, was just pulling back her covers.

I didn't talk much to my fellow six- years except for Peyton. I never got along too well with girls. I was probably too hot- headed.

Leanne was a bit too always- scared for me. She always looked on edge and uncomfortable. She also had a prissy way about her. She was, however, quite smart.

Katie I liked. She was on the Quiddich team with Fred and George and was always nice to most people. She kept to herself usually and disliked the Slytherins. Katie was probably one of the only girls I could get along with in our year. But, unfortunately, she and Leanne were attached at the hip.

Calista was a blonde slut. She was curvy and not traditionally pretty, the way I thought was the most gorgeous show of beauty, but more modern and edgy. Probably why she was the house slut. She got on my nerves easily- she was an airhead.

Peyton, however, was a brilliant witch who was brave and generous. She stood up for the prosecuted and spoke her mind. She and I had become friends in third year and while she often hung out with her friends in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, she was my only ally in our chamber. We both disliked the other three girls in our room as well.

I quickly hopped out of bed, sending a good morning in Peyton's direction, and threw on my uniform. I growled at it. Apparently my bust had grown a few sizes since last year and I'd gotten a bit taller. My shirt now stretched across my boobs and I buttoned up the button just above my bra, watching in the mirror as my cleavage pushed up and showed from the shirt. I shrugged and pulled on my skirt, which now fell above my knees. Pulling on my knee-highs, I grabbed my black pumps and did my usual eyeliner, mascara, blush, chapstick routine. Biting my bottom lip, I transformed my hair into vibrant red volumized layers framing my face.

Grabbing my schoolbag, I stood at the top of the stairs and George came into my view at the bottom. He grinned up at me and, per norm, put his foot on the first stair of the staircase. I slid down the slide that formed, landing at George's feet.

"Good morning Georgie!" I beamed, hopping up from the floor. "Thanks for that."

"No problem at all. I do it every morning for you, I'm pretty used to it," he winked. I giggled and intertwined my arm with his, sticking my other arm out for his twin, who I knew wasn't far behind. An arm slid through mine and I smiled up at Fred, sending a "morning" his way and started down to the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Nice notice," I commented. I had seen the huge white notice on the board when I stood up from the slide. I had helped them make it.

_GALLONS OF GALLEONS. _

_Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings? Like to earn a little extra gold? _

_Contact Fred and George Weasley, Gryffindor common room, for simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs. (We regret that all work is undertaken at applicant's own risk.)_

I made them add the last bit.

When we arrived at the Great Hall, we all sat down and started piling our plates high. McGonagall came around and handed out everyone's schedules, and when ours arrived I excitedly unfolded and quickly read it over. Oh NEWT classes… (see profile for link to photobucket for schedule)

The twins and I compared. We had much of the same schedule. The only class we didn't share was Potions; the boys were not dealing with Snape any more then they had to.

"Time to wreck havoc? I think so," I grinned. The three of us started to outline a schedule of when we would try to come up with pranks and products for the joke shop when Angelina came over with a whirl.

"Morning." She didn't even look in my direction. "Okay, George, Fred. I've been made captain of the Quidditch team."

"Oh brilliant Ang," George smiled, congratulating her. I rolled my eyes silently.

"Yeah, maybe now we can all stay awake during pep talks," Fred added with humor.

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, listen. We need a new Keeper. Tryouts are scheduled for Friday at five o'clock and I want the whole team to be there so we can see how the new person fits in with the team. Got it?" she demanded. Each boy nodded.

"'Course we'll be there Angie. Wouldn't miss it for the world." Fred winked at her and she blushed and faltered for a minute before shaking her head and walking further on along the table.

"Must you always flirt with everyone? Even those as prissy as Johnson?" I scowled.

"She's not prissy, she's a very nice girl," George said.

"Yeah, with a very nice ass," Fred snickered.

"And a very small brain!" I countered. The boys flashed me a look of anger.

"Just because you don't get along with girls doesn't mean you have the right to be a massive bitch to everyone when they don't deserve it, Blayne." Fred grabbed his book sack and stood.

"Well maybe if they weren't such bitches to me I wouldn't have to be pissy to them in return!" I stood up as well, ready to leave, fuming. George followed our lead, staying silent on the matter. "And maybe if I wasn't treated as the only girl who isn't attractive enough for your attention, then I wouldn't have to portray the girl who could care less!"

Without a look back, I stormed out of the Great Hall and made my way to Herbology, stomping along the way.

What a great start to the school year.


	11. Pretty Girls Deserve Love

**i realize that the beginning part with the trio happens at lunch time, not dinner, in the book but i wanted to add a bit of the Blayne's view of the trio into the story and it fit so nicely i couldn't bear to part with it.**

**i hope you like this chapter, it took me a while to write because i wanted to make it perfect. i would really appreciate some reviews to know how you liked it. it would mean a lot to me if you could constructively criticize to help me write better and to help me understand what you guys want out of this story as well. i know it's kind of a hassle but... it helps and it also makes me write faster!**

**read and enjoy :)**

An enchanted paper hummingbird fluttered across the Gryffindor room and landed in my lap. I grimaced, opening it up gingerly.

_Blayne,_

_I'm ceaselessly sorry for the fight we had this morning. I know I need to explain a few things to you in correlation to my appalling conduct, and I would be forever in your debt if you would rendezvous with me in the Astronomy Tower this eve at precisely 11 o'clock. It is profusely understandable and faultlessly acceptable if you wish to keep to yourself furthermore until we may parley about this terrible occurrence. Please forgive me and my disgraceful behavior at breakfast._

_Love,_

_Fred_

I sighed. I folded the parchment up carefully and slid it into my book pack. I knew I would end up going; no matter how angry I got at Fred or George, I loved them.

Looking at the ancient clock above the fireplace mantel, I hurriedly grabbed my books and bag and flew to the dungeons for Potions. I shuddered along the way, getting ready to deal with Snape.

I quickly found a seat and shoved myself into it, blowing my hair out of my face and arranging my notebook of parchment to my right and my Potions textbook in front of me, carefully placing my beautiful quill on top of the notebook and my ink in front of it.

I sat up straight and stared ahead, waiting for Snape to start. I was sitting at an empty lab table until Patricia Stimpson, a Gryffindor in Fred and George's year, sat next to me, chatting animatedly with her friend who sat in front of us.

She sat down blindly, not looking over at me and went to pull her classy tote bag across the table to put it on the floor, in the process knocking over my ink bottle. I cried out in surprise as it toppled over my textbook and notebook, dripping onto me as well. She gave me a look of contempt and thrust her nose in the air, airily tapping her quill against her own piece of parchment.

I glanced dismayed at the mess, pulling out my wand to clean it up, and Snape chose that exact moment to enter the room. He sneered at me as he walked along the rows.

"Miss Tonks, are you so inept that you cannot even keep your bottle of ink straight?" he scoffed in his terrible slithering voice.

"I-" I started.

"Will not talk back to your professor unless asked. Ten points from Gryffindor." With that final bark, he stood in front of the class and told us to turn to page 24 of our textbooks. Keeping my anger locked inside, I muttered "Scourgify" and started to take notes as Snape drawled on in a bored voice about the effect of runespore eggs.

I had never realized how alone I was without the twins.

* * *

After Potions, I walked to my dorm and threw my bag on the table, shedding my uniform for a lime green camisole (it matched nicely with my bright red hair) and black yoga pants, throwing my robes over the top to keep me warm.

Then I slowly made my way downstairs through the crowds of people on the moving staircase and plopped down on the bench of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall for dinner, next to the only other people who liked me, the trio. I interrupted them in the middle of a conversation.

"I did think he might be a bit better this year," said Hermione. "I mean… you know…" she looked around and spotted me, smiling slightly "… now he's in the Order and everything."

"Hey Blayne," Harry smiled at me from across the table as I was sitting next to Hermione, opposite the boys. I waved cheerfully and Ron plodded on with the conversation.

"Poisonous toadstools don't change their spots. Anyway I've always thought Dumbledore was cracked trusting Snape. Where's the evidence he ever really stopped working for You-Know-Who?"

"I think Dumbledore's probably got plenty of evidence, even if he doesn't share it with you, Ron," snapped Hermione. I ignored their squabble and ate my shepherd's pie hungrily.

"Oh, shut up, the pair of you," said Harry with a sigh when Ron started to argue back. Hermione and Ron both froze, looking angry and offended at their friend. "Can't you give it a rest? You're always having a go at each other, it's driving me mad." And then he left.

"Now look what you've done!" Hermione accused, glaring at Ron.

"It wasn't me, you were the one getting all "I love Snapie" on us!" Ron retorted.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you weren't so accusatory all the time!"

"Maybe you should look at the facts then, instead of pretending everyone is always good!"

"I-"

"God, Harry is right! You two need to sort out all this sexual tension you have. It's driving everyone bonkers." With a huff and a final bite, I stood up to leave in much the same manner Harry had before me.

On the way up the stairs I thought, _they need to go find a nice broom closet and have a good long shag before one of them combusts and we all get hit with the shrapnel._

I sat down in my comfy chair by the fire and pulled my hair up in a pony-tail as I spread my homework out before me. Getting to work on reading a chapter in my Herbology book, I thought longingly for eleven o'clock tonight when I would meet up with Fred in the tower.

* * *

"Fred?" I whispered, walking in to the observatory part of the tower. No response.

It was pitch black out, the only light from the luminescent full moon and the twinkling stars surrounding it. I will never forget the beauty of our universe that night.

Silence surrounded me. It was too dark to see much of anything, but I could just make out the outline of a tall, muscular shape in front and to the right. I bit my lip and walked towards the shape, muttering his name again.

Excitement filled me. Apprehension. A tang of fear and a thrill of wonder. The night was magical, infusing my pores with an enchanted feeling and as I got closer to the outline, I could see a smile flit across the face I knew so well, could identify with my eyes closed at midnight. Giggling to myself, I closed my eyes, and still knew it was him.

"Hey," I muttered, coming to stand next to him in front of the glass looking over the lake and grounds, looking up into the beautiful night sky.

"Hey," he whispered softly back, his face illuminating in front of my eyes. First I saw the apple of his cheeks, the sharp outline of his chin against the deep red of his hair. Then the shadows under his full lips, the curve of his soft smile. The soft curve of his ears against the moon. And then, the most wondrous and tell-all feature he possessed- his bright blue eyes, dazzling even in the terrible lighting.

The beam of light from the moon cast dark and sensuous shadows on his physique and I found myself wishing I was curved around him and sucking that pouty bottom lip into my mouth. Shaking the thought off, I let a hint of a smile play across my own face. What was he doing, looking… was that, scared?

"So um what… what did you want to talk about?" I asked, turning and standing beside him to watch the shadows play and jump on the grass.

"Blayne, I'm so sorry for the way I acted earlier. I got out of hand, and I was wrong to raise my voice at you," he said. I closed my eyes, nodded.

"It's okay, I understand. I was rash as well. All is forgiven. But," I leaned into him and raised my eyebrow upwards, whispering deviously, "why did we have to secretly meet at midnight in the Astronomy Tower under a cloak of darkness to talk about a pointless fight we had?"

"I, I… well… um…" he stuttered, his eyes betraying his thoughts. He had no idea what to say to that.

"Fred? What did you really want to talk about?" I whispered breathlessly, leaning into him in anticipation of his next words. My breath held, my heart stuttered. What could he possibly want to talk about this late at night in this enchanted tower?

Could it be that he felt the mysterious and unexplained heat that rushed through my body at his touch? Had he caught me looking at him and trying to think of all the ways I could get him to unravel under my touch? I bit my lip, waited.

The seconds ticked on as he stared at me, indecision wavering on his features. The air grew heavy, I had to fight for my next lungful of air. My heart thumped thunderously in my chest, my head swirled with the thoughts of what he could want. A small voice in the back of my head whispered that he thought I was a stupid little teenage girl who was infatuated with him and wanted nothing to do with me. That this meeting was to squash my feelings and make me forget about the whole thing.

And still I felt an expansion of air in my chest, a longing for something. I could almost feel the way he would envelope me in a comforting hug in the morning, kiss me softly, tell me he loved me. And not in a purely friendly way. I dared to hope.

I thought I saw his gaze flicker to my lips, but in the darkness I couldn't be certain. I tilted my head up, staring at his eyes and trying to discover his thoughts. Needed to know where he wanted to go with this.

I felt myself leaning into him, being pulling into his indecision, teetering on the edge. I would fall, or I would fly. It all depended on his next words.

He leaned down, his eyes staring into my own as if seeing into my soul. I felt bared, open. He controlled what happened now.

I watched as his hand came up slowly, felt the warmth of his caress flutter up my neck and over my cheek. I closed my eyes and hummed. Turning my head slowly into his hand, my whole body surged to life.

"Only you."

Soft, gentle lips molded to my own. His lips tasted of truffles and a hint of vanilla. His own personal smell wafted to my nose, enveloping my body in its musky fragrance. His hand tilted my head gently up to his and he caressed my lips in a motion that was so caring and sweet it should be illegal.

My eyes had fluttered closed. I could hear the crickets outside, the sounds of the forest around us. The moon bathed my eyelids in white light. Fred's other hand came to rest on my hip and I could feel its heat saturating the denim of my jeans. I shivered, pulling myself closer to him and sucking his bottom lip between mine.

I heard him groan and I listened as my heart sped up. Knowing I was flushed, I could feel the thrumming of my staccato heartbeat trying to keep up. My breathing was laboured and I sucked in breath through my nose, refusing to sever the connection between our lips. My thoughts were running on repeat.

_Closer. I need to be closer._

"Fred," I breathed out, bringing my chest closer to his and sliding one of my calves around his.

He slid his tongue over my upper lip, sensuously stoking the fire within me. I sighed around his mouth, letting him in and gasped when his tongue touched mine. Simultaneously, he groaned and suddenly pulled my lower half closer. He sped up, molding and remolding his mouth around my own. His hand tilted my head further and his hands became vicious. He stroked me with his hands, his lips, his heart. I was quickly coming undone under him.

Time meant nothing anymore. It could have been days for all I knew, it could have been only seconds. Eventually, we broke apart, gasping for breath and clutching to one another.

"Wow." I blushed, looking and finding my hair to be a bright vibrant pink.

"Yeah," he whispered, grazing my cheek with his fingertips.

"Fred," I muttered. I couldn't come up with words other than his name.

"Blayne." He leaned down and softly kissed me once, a mere peck. It still caused my heart to soar and my stomach to melt.

"W-why…" I leaned my head against his chest, closing my eyes and trying to relax my heartbeat. My breathing slowed and I felt myself loosen up.

"You're beautiful." He was still caressing me, though his hand had fallen to the middle of my back. I let out a shuddering breath, closing my eyes and melting into him.

"You're wonderful. That was… incredible."

"It was."

"What… what was that?" I was afraid to ask, but I needed answers. I needed to know what was going on. I felt so loved, but so confused at the same time.

"You are everything to me, Blayne. You make me crazy." He took my hands in his and led me to a bench nearby. I took the time to stare out into the sky, taking in the moon again. It was so beautiful and so enchanting. Maybe that was what was causing Fred to act so strangely.

"Will you tell me what's going on? Why did you kiss me?" I needed to know, and still my heart thudded in protest. It didn't want to take the risk. He held my hands tightly in his.

"I've been wanting to do that for a while." He smiled softly, the side of his face illuminated by the pale moon.

"What?" I breathed, my eyes going wide. What was he saying?

"I've been thinking about you a lot Blayne. And not in an entirely friendly way."

"Um…" I stared at him, willing him to go on. He squeezed my hand.

"I'm feeling things towards you, Laynie." I closed my eyes against the onslaught of memory. Lanie. He hadn't called me that for years.

The first time… I can still remember. He had been my first kiss, when I was five.

_Two little children climbed up a tall ladder and into a tree house. One child was about five, a little girl in a pair of jean overalls two sizes too big for her and a pink farm girl shirt. She also wore her burgundy hair in two cute little braids and a pair of old ratty sneakers. The other was a boy, about a year older then her and taller by a few inches. He had bright red hair and shocking blue eyes and wore a pair of jeans and a white, t-shirt spotted with black residue of some kind. _

_I extended my arms. I remember being that little girl, looking around my wooden enclosure with pride and happiness. I beamed up at Fred, the older boy._

"_Look! Nymph and I made it this weekend! Isn't it just the most wicked thing you've ever seen?" she smiled brightly, begging him to agree with her eyes._

"_I love it Blayne. We can come up here all the time to start pranks and things." He smiled sweetly down at me, taking my hand and sitting on the floor. I sat next to him, wondering what he was up to. _

"_Hey Fred, I have an idea." I decided to be bold- I wasn't one to hold things back, and I had been wondering for a while now. "You know how our mummy and daddies are always kissing? I was wondering what it was like. Do you maybe want to see what all the fuss is about, with me?"_

"_Sure," he smirked at me. Then his voice lowered to a slight whisper and he leaned closer to my face. I stared up at him in childlike fascination. "You want to know why I want to kiss you?"_

"_Why?" I breathed._

"_Because pretty girls deserve love, Laynie."_

_I didn't have time to respond. A second later his tiny child's lips captured my own. It was only a slight peck, and it lasted for about a fraction of a second, but it sent my little head whirling._

"Pretty girls deserve love, Laynie."

My heart fluttered and I looked up at him through my eyelashes, my eyes softening. After all the wrong boys, could the right one have been right in front of me all along?

I kissed him. I didn't know the answer to my question, but I knew one thing.

Being with Fred felt so right.

**you likey? i loved the getting together scene, i really thought it worked nicely. i hope you liked it, it took a lot of effort and i tried really hard!**

**tell me where you want their relationship to go, the dynamic, others' reactions to it... i mean right now i have a rough outline of a few things and ideas, but if you tell me something you want i will most likely put it in here (or try my damnedest) **

**thanks for reading! (oh and normal disclaimer applies :) )**


	12. Our Little Secret

**hello lovelies. i hope you're enjoying the Frayne in this part. warning- its a bit M so if you're... uncomfortable, don't read the last bit. i tried to develop their relationship and show the past a bit.**

**tell me what you think. reviews are amazing, i really appreciate it. if you review, i'll give you a little insight to the next chapter!**

**hope you like. disclaimer applies.**

_Three young children were sitting in a tiny room with twin beds on either side. They sat in a circle in the middle, a cauldron between them._

_There was a teddy bear on one bed and a lot of pillows on the other, but both had a pale blue tattered comforter and a differently patterned wool blanket on top. Scattered around the room was clothes and robes, assorted candy wrappers, and what appeared to be slimy particles and reminiscence of a fun time._

_The little girl, about seven, tossed a leaf into the pot and it turned a bright purple color. She giggled and clapped her hands together. "Look! It looks like my hair!" It did indeed._

_Surprisingly, her hair was dazzling neon purple, contrasting sharply with the boys' locks- a bright hue of red. Her eyes were wide with excitement and she looked at her companions with adoration in her little blue orbs. _

"_You know, I don't even know why we're trying to make a love potion anyways. Girls are stupid," the taller of the boys huffed, crossing his arms. _

_The two boys were twins- identical except for a crescent shaped scar on the tallest boy's neck. They each had excited blue eyes and a scattering of freckles, and each had the same tall, lean body shape. They both, also, looked to the little girl like she was crazy in a you're-so-cute way._

"_Because. Then Adonis will fall in love with me!" the little girl cried, smiling excitedly. "He's soo cute! I tried to get him to kiss me today but he said that I had cooties. What a silly idea!"_

"_Adonis is just an annoying little twerp. Merlin knows why the heck you like him." _

"_Yeah, he's so mean to everybody. He tried to lock me in the bathroom at juice time one time!" the other twin spoke for the first time. He looked hurt and upset, like a kicked puppy. "I didn't even do anything to him!"_

"_Well he's cute. And he's funny. He makes me laugh all the time! And who cares if he's mean sometimes, everybody can be mean. I think he's grand," the girl said with conviction. She smiled fondly at a memory of some sort and tossed a frozen Ashwinder egg into the mix. _

"_We make you laugh all the time too!" the boys said in unison, scowling. She nodded, dismissing them with a wave of her hand._

"_Of course you do. I love you guys."_

I woke up slowly, coming out of the fog of the memory-dream bit by bit. I groaned. Wednesday. Third day of classes. Ugh, great.

I rolled over and snuggled into the covers some more. I just couldn't convince myself that leaving their warm embrace was a good idea.

Until a pair of lips came crashing down on the top of my head.

"Fred!" I gasped, sitting up in a rush. I groaned, holding my head. Bad idea.

"Good morning beautiful," he grinned. I smiled up at him, forgetting my confusion at where I was, and remembering the night before. Right, Fred had obviously brought me up to his room for the night after I fell asleep on him in the Astronomy Tower.

"Morning. Gur what time is it?" I asked.

"Seven."

"BLIMEY!" I cried, jumping out of bed and flicking my wand. My school uniform came floating to me and I hastily pulled it on. After I quickly ran a hand through my hair, changed my appearance so it looked like I was wearing makeup even though I had none handy, and straightened myself, I looked over and realized Fred had been dressed for a while.

"I've been ready for a while but I wanted to let you sleep as long as you could." He smiled and I "grr"ed playfully, grabbing his hand and pulling him down the stairs.

"WAIT!" I pulled him behind a corner and kissed him eagerly. Pulling back, I repeated "morning" with a smile and then asked the question I had been wondering before I drifted off to bed. "What do we tell people?"

"I… I would like nothing better than for the whole world to know how we feel- that we care about each other in a more… intimate way. "But I don't think that would be wise. We hang in a delicate balance- George, you, and I. If he finds out, he'll think we don't care. He'll be the third wheel and it'll just turn out to be a mess and everyone will worry. Plus, with that new Umbridge bitch it'll be easier to sneak away and fool around when she doesn't know we're doing it. We can keep our balance; we can be best friends by day and lovers by night. Just for now of course. Eventually we can come out about it; I just think that for the moment we should keep it quiet."

I knew I should have been disappointed but actually the thought of a secret affair actually turned me on. The thrill made me even more excited.

"Our little secret."

* * *

We snogged for a little while longer and then ate a quick breakfast. We had Defense Against the Dark Arts. I groaned when I saw my schedule.

"We have to deal with that bitch. Maybe we should drop out. It's not like we have to take DADA I mean it's N.E.W.T.s I can do what I want." I commented, walking the halls in the middle of the twins.

It was weird, wishing I was kissing Fred and knowing the only thing holding me back was George. In my mind I was imagined holding hands and then I remembered. Tonight I could back him up into the wall and have my way with him- for now I had to be nice and polite around our friends.

"You know you would never drop out, Blayne. You love learning too much," George teased. I folded my arms over my chest.

"Yeah, exactly. I'm not _learning_ anything in her bloody class!"

"The real problem here is that you're too _stubborn_ to drop out." Fred slung his arm over my shoulder. "Our poor, obstinate friend."

I sighed and walked into the room, plopping down in my seat next to Fred, George in front of us with Lee. I rested my hand in my palm, watching my mischievous prankster. Damn he was hot.

I thought I had felt just sisterly towards him, but after those moments last night and this morning, after knowing what he was and how he could be, all I wanted was a repeat. I knew I could never go back to the way things were before. The love I felt towards him had turned 360 degrees in an instant.

That thought frightened me a little. I had been so sure I knew our relationship. I thought for certain we were best friends and always will be- a trio with George and a complete friendship. I had never wanted more, never dreamt of more. And in one second, it flipped on me.

If that certainty could change that quickly, what else didn't I know?

I was shaken out of my thoughts when that disastrously dressed woman came into the room. The tiny click-click of her kitten heels echoed through the concrete room and made my head pound. She was so demeaning, from the sound of her entrance to the hum of her tingling voice. We were not babies, and it was time she took her head out of her arse to see that.

"Good morning class!" she called into the room. I nearly gagged at her sickly-sweet fake voice. I refused, unlike my cohorts, to add to the din of our classmates' resounding _good morning_.

"Wands away and quills out. Please open your books to where you left off last class and commence reading. There will be no need to talk." She then plopped her oversized buttocks into her plush chair and took out her own book, a clear romance. Bloody hell.

I was so sick of this, and it had only been three classes. I was seriously considering dropping it, but knew in my heart Fred was right. I _was_ too stubborn to quit.

Instead of reading the proffered chapter, I slid out a piece of parchment and soundlessly scribbled a note.

_I hate this._

I slid it over to the right of me and Fred glanced at it. With a smirk he scratched back.

**It makes it better that you're here.**

With a roll of my eyes, I replied.

_So the infamous Fred Weasley reveals the charming side of him. Who thought I'd live to see the day._

**Ha. Ha. Very funny. You know I can be charming when the need arises.**

_I know you can be witty, annoying, sexually forward, belittling, tiresome, and charismatic when the need arises, but no. I have never known you to be charming to get what you want._

**What can I say? You bring out the best in me.**

_Ha. Ha. It's my turn to laugh. When did that start happening? When I figured out tons of prank ideas and helped to engineer some of the best potions we have ever made? Sure, yeah, that's the best in you._

**You don't know what goes on in my head that you cannot see, my dear.**

_But I know the way your head works. _

**And you love the way it works.**

_Yeah, and who said that?_

"Miss Tonks, Mr. Weasley. What do you think you are doing?" The nausea returned at her tone. I resisted the urge to balk.

"Taking notes on the chapter, Professor Umbridge." I waved my wand under the table and the words on the parchment translated to notes on said chapter.

"Of course you are. May I see?" I stood up and walked to the front boldly with the paper in my hands. She didn't intimidate me, despite that I knew she had given Harry detention for his outburst that Voldemort was back. She was just a big bully.

"Here." I tossed the paper onto her desk and she gave a 'hem hem'. I rolled my eyes while she read the information.

"Lovely. Well, as I did not ask you to take notes, I will have to punish you. Violation of directions leads to consequences, as I am sure a witch of your age should know by now. Detention, six o'clock after dinner. My office. Would anybody else care to _take notes_ during my class?" She shot the class a so-fake-it-hurt smile and I felt the fury well up inside me. The tips of my hair flashed red and she took it in with shocked surprise.

"Miss Tonks, I was not aware you were a metamorphmagus. I would advise you to keep your emotions in check with your transforming. It would not be polite to be changing your appearance every five seconds for your own personal gain, now would it?" She looked angry at me because of my natural ability. Like it was my fault I could change at will! "Please refrain from changing your appearance at your own will. Consequences will be unfortunate shall you decide to disobey my wishes."

She shooed her hand at me to go back to my seat.

Turning away, I tried to control my changing ability. But by God, it wasn't my fault I was born with my ability. I can't help it! I quickly changed my train of thought to Fred so that I would not get any more detentions then need be. As my least favorite person in this school, even before Snape, I didn't need to spend any more time with this woman then need be.

And I still detested her choice in clothing.

* * *

The day went by slowly. After our break- spent testing more Nosebleed Nougats- we had our double period. Today it was Care of Magical Creatures, and I seriously did not like this Grubbly-Plank woman any more than I did the first time. She made class so boring, and I loved learning about the magical creatures in the wizarding world. I prayed all class that Hagrid would come back. And soon.

After a long tedious period that felt like the whole day, we had a break for an unsatisfactory lunch of a sweet potato and some salad. I quickly said goodbye to the boys with a kiss on their cheeks (though the one I gave Fred was longer by an undetectable second) and hurried off to Potions. I made a more than satisfactory advanced sleeping drought and handed it in, knowing I did well, and also knowing I probably only got at best an A because I was a Gryffindor who constantly spoke out and challenged Snape's teaching.

During the next break, I snuck Fred off behind a statue in a deserted hallway for a quick snog that left both of us wanting more but unable to have it. We both knew our sessions had to be short if we were to keep it a secret from George, unless he was busy doing something. The rest of our break was spent doing a bit of homework, at my insistence and at which I spent most of the time trying to stop the boys from causing trouble and goofing off.

We all then scurried to McGonagall's classroom and learned how to transfigure a piece of towel into a bird. At first try, mine came out to be still terrycloth, but by the end of the period I think I mastered the ability to make it fly and have feathers as well instead of fly and wash dishes.

At dinner, we all sat down to complain about Umbridge and how horrible she was. I squeezed Fred's knee when he got a little overexcited and started raising his voice, flailing his arms about in exaggeration of what happened. He calmed down a little but I could still detect the tension under my hand and the stiffness of his muscles. The anger was detectable under his cool façade.

We slowly walked up the stairs together when George was asked to wander off somewhere with Lee to figure something out. I grumbled about how I didn't want to go to the detention and Fred slung his arm around my shoulder in a friendly move, but it brought him closer to me and I sighed at the warmth and comfort in having his body closer to me.

"Fred, what are we going to do? I can't get a moment alone with you without George. It never occurred or bothered me before that you two never leave each other's sights unless you want to. And George never wants to leave!" I sighed in exasperation. "God I feel so terrible wishing he would just go away sometimes. He's still my best friend and I still love him. He's just so omnipresent!"

"I know exactly what you mean. We do get tired of each other eventually, don't worry. Perhaps we should come up with a plan to keep us away from him for a little while. Tell him we have to do something alone, like study for a particular class. Maybe we could say we're joining a club. Then we could go off to our club meetings but secretly just meet to spend some time alone together."

He pulled me into an empty classroom and I sat down next to him on one of the desks, swinging my legs and deep in thought. That might work.

"No, that has too many loopholes. We should tell him you need help in Charms class. That makes sense, as I excel in that class and on Monday you were having difficulty charming anything. We'll tell him that you and I need to go to a classroom alone to keep your head in the game, so you can focus. We will say that we've decided to meet at… eight o'clock each night to practice and so I can help you with your homework. It should take us two hours, we'll say, and he should finish up his homework and just go to bed because we'll be out late some nights if you don't understand something." I rested my head on his shoulder, the guilt of lying to my best friend already manifesting. We hadn't even told George this yet.

"Yes! Perfect! We'd be the only ones who would know where the others are, so there would be no eye-witnesses to be inconsistent. And it gives us the perfect alibi. You're a genius my love!"

He picked me up and rested me on his lap, kissing me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his back so I could lift them under his shirt.

I whimpered a little when his tongue slipped out to caress my bottom lip. Slowly, I slid mine along his and at the same time crept my hands up and over the hard muscles of his back. God, he was so delicious.

"Mmmh thank God for Quidditch," I whispered, stroking each individual muscle and massaging the tight, pale skin that covered them. He chuckled into my mouth and I swallowed the sound, resting my hands on the small of his back and pushing him towards me.

His chest came into harder contact with my own and we both let out a simultaneous moan when our intimate parts collided. A delicious sting of pleasure zinged up my spine and I shivered, grinding down hard on his manhood.

"Blayne," he dared gruffly. I threw my head back for air, detangling our tongues (much to my dissatisfaction). He moved his mouth down to my neck, sucking roughly. His hands ended up on my hips, pushing me into him harder. My mouth fell open at the feel of him under me and I tightened my grip on his hips.

So hard. So real.

He was everywhere, and every place I could ever imagine. I loved every second of it.

"Fred!" I called out sharply. He had bit down on my skin when I jerked myself onto him, causing our secret places to collide and fit together like two pieces of a puzzle.

A puzzle of destiny.

I whimpered when his hands reached down to stroke my ass. He gripped the flesh tightly in his hands, rocking me back and forth onto his prick. Every time I came forward, each or the both of us would let out a sharp exhale or noise at the desire coursing through our bodies.

It felt so natural, so real.

"You're going to kill me, Laynie." I replied with a grunt and swiveled down onto his lap. I twisted my head to connect our lips again, feverently moving in synchronization.

I reached up to run my hands over his shoulders, slowly running them over his back, when a loud boom shook me from our created world where only we existed.

"What?" he demanded when I pulled away. I put a finger to his lips to quiet him and listened. The clock tower was calling the time.

"SHIT!" I cried, hopping down and quickly straightening my clothes, trying in vain to ignore the throbbing in my lady parts. I grabbed Fred's hand and dragged him out the classroom and down the dark hallway, following the sound of the clock. Behind me, Fred let go of my hand and started readjusting his trousers.

"What the bloody hell is going on, Blayne?" he demanded behind me. I whirled down the stairs, counting the ticks of the clock.

"Umbridge. Detention. Six o'clock. It's quarter of. Fuck me!" I cried, running down the stairs of the moving staircase, willing them to change quicker. I needed to make it across the castle in ten minutes.

"Gladly. Give me a time and a place, and I'll be there," the redheaded nuisance smirked behind me.

"I do not have time for this, Fred. I'm going to be so late. I really can't afford another detention with her. I do not want to spend any more time with that toad then I have to."

He caught up next to me and ran beside me, smoothing down my hair quickly and soothingly. I calmed down a bit, but still maintained my quick speed. Blasted woman!

We made it to her office with two minutes to spare. I shot Fred a quick look and smiled, blowing him a kiss and a sly wink before opening the door and stepping inside.

My eyes took a few minutes to adjust.

The décor of the tiny room was all pink. Bright, bold, child-like, bloody PINK! I felt like I was two again. The old toad sat in her fluffy, pink chair behind a wooden desk, her hands clasped politely in front of her and a conniving smile on her face. Behind her, tens of dozens of kitten plates were mounted on the wall, each playing with a ball of yawn or meowing softly. The plates were also pink, and the kittens moved about with a hidden agenda, as if waiting to catch an unsuspecting fly and tear it limb from limb. Perfect. Even her pictures reminded me of the gross old toad.

"Hello Miss Tonks. Please, have a seat."


	13. Hot Tempered

**hmm so new update. hope you all like. i know its a pain to comment or leave reviews, but its greatly appreciated (like i said it makes me want to write faster). they also give me good ideas. ive got a lot of alerts and favourites, which im estatic about, but guys i need reviews to know how you really feel!**

**i got a review the other day about 'i cant wait to see what fred will do about umbridge' and so i fixed what i had originally and made it so much better. things like that will be acknowledged!**

**i do realize that i didnt send out previews for this chapter to reviewers. i am soooo sorry ive been so busy with school. but i PROMISE that if you review this time, i will reply with a preview of the next chapter. in your review, if you want the preview, make a note of it. if you don't, tell me you dont want a preview.**

**i know this update was a little long in the making and im sorry, but its here now! hope you enjoy!**

"She is a torturer! Who does she think she is? This can_not_ be legal!"

All three of us sat around the fire, each in our designated chairs. I cradled my left hand in my right one, biting my lip and trying to ignore the scorching pain that traveled up my arm from the back of my hand.

Fred had stood up, pacing back and forth in front of the fire after he saw my bandaged hand. George was sitting in the chair next to me, rubbing my shoulders to soothe me and caressing my hair (blonde with streaks of black through it, reminiscent of the pain I was feeling).

"This isn't the twelfth century anymore! It's the twentieth! Torturing students is illegal. We need to tell somebody!" my redheaded lover seethed, yanking at his beautiful locks. "We need to do something about this. That insane woman is off her rocker! She can't get away with this! George, how can you just sit there calmly after she tore open Blayne's hand! That isn't okay!"

"I know it's not okay, but there's nothing we can do about it. Hell, I'm just as pissed off as you are. But I know there is no way we can stop her. She's been sent by the Ministry. Granted, the Ministry has become insane, but her actions are sanctioned by the highest authority in the English wizarding world. The only thing I can think of that we can do is to act out on our own. We can make her life a living hell.

Merlin knows, she won't stop this treatment with just me. Harry has a week's detention with her too; I'm not the only one. I'm sure she'll keep giving out detentions for stupid things and I am positive she will keep torturing children, even the first years. All we can do is to help the children and rebel against her in our own way- we prank her until she goes insane."

"That's not good enough!" he roared so loud the walls shook, slamming his fist into the concrete next to the fireplace. I stared in horror as crimson droplets of blood slipped down his knuckles and forearm from the split skin. My horror quickly turned to anger.

"It's going to have to be enough, Fred. Stop being so damn immature about this!" I yelled, getting up in his face. "I'm not a child, I can make decisions by myself! You need to learn that you don't always know what's right." I turned away from him, my voice tired from yelling, and looked to George.

"I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

George stood up and walked over to me, kissing me on the cheek. I smiled up at him and bade him goodnight. Fred seemed hell bent on acting like a petulant child, and I wandered up the stairs to the 6th year girl dormitories without a glance backwards.

* * *

After that night, Umbridge's torture techniques were a topic to avoid.

The rest of the week went by slowly. It was like turning the pages of a book that repeated the same monotone story over and over without a change.

Class, break, class, lunch, class, break, class, dinner. The only excitement in my days were when the three of us decided to come up with a prank or fun idea for the joke shop… and then there were those magical times when Fred and I snuck out and had our way with each other.

On Friday night, after the boys got back from the Quidditch tryouts (they came back nearly falling over when they tried to tell me Ron tried out, which I thought was cute) we told George our "study" plan. He seemed to understand perfectly and that just made me feel worse about the whole thing. I had never lied to my best friend before, let alone lied to him about his brother. I had especially not _lied_ to George _about_ Fred _with_ his twin! The guilt was piling up and it had only been a few days.

On Saturday, I overslept until noon. The twins went to their first Quidditch practice, so I spent the day with Lee trying to figure out how to make the portable swamp actually come out of the box instead of just plop on the floor and ooze out into swamp-ness.

Fred and George left that night to try to find some firsties to test the Skiving Snackboxes on, as Hermione had forbade them to do it in the Commons. I didn't like using the poor, innocent eleven year olds like that, but what can you do? We did need testers, and they were probably the only ones that would do it.

Later that night after dinner, there was a bit of a party in the Common Room, celebrating Ron's new Keeper status. Fred and George spent the whole time making fun of him, which I joined in on occasionally. For the most part, I spent the night congratulating my "little brother" on his achievement. He was a pretty good Keeper- when we played, I was usually a Chaser and he, our Keeper.

I met Fred at the Black Lake for a quick snog at midnight under a cloak of darkness, moaning the entire time about how weird I felt being out of the school that late. Despite the romanticism, I was a bit scared we'd get caught outside after curfew. I tried to have a good time, brushing it aside, and in truth I did love the time spent with Fred.

On Sunday, when the post arrived and Sturgis Podmore was found to be sentenced to six months in Azkaban, the twins and I tried to understand what he was doing and if it was related to the Order, as he was in it. we also discussed the possible problems it would cause the Order and I thought about writing a letter to my sister later that day.

Indeed, I did. The boys went off to Quidditch after I demanded they do most of their homework because we didn't get any of it done the day before. I sat down and wrote a short letter to my sister that I tried to edit so it would not be interpreted by any Ministry or Voldemort interceptors.

_Nymph,_

_Miss you loads. Hope everything is going well at home. School is kind of terrible, classes are okay but the new DADA teacher is a right toad. _

_Any romance brewing on your end? Wish you would get a boyfriend, I really want some nieces and nephews __. I saw those looks you gave to Moony! Get that girl!_

_I saw that Sturgis Podmore got Azkaban time. Can you imagine? Will that affect your work at all? I hope he'll be okay and doesn't go insane. I wonder if he really did it. I mean he seemed nice when we met for that work thing you had._

_Anyways, I'm hoping to hear from you soon. The boys are at Quidditch (so I'm basically doing nothing) and hopefully things will get more interesting this week!_

_Can't wait to see you,_

_Blayne_

Then I spent the rest of the afternoon finishing up homework and brainstorming some ideas for the joke shop. Eventually my train of thought went from ideas to the actual shop, imagining my last year of Hogwarts without the twins. I was worried. They were my main friends, and besides Ginny and the trio they were the only ones that tolerated me. Maybe it was time to make some new friends before they left so I wouldn't be alone.

I was jostled out of my thoughts by two heavy objects thumping down into the chairs beside me.

"George, I daresay Ron made a right mess of things today," Fred commented, hanging his sweaty head off the back of his chair.

"It was awful Fred. He barely caught the ball once!" George held his head in his hand, closing his eyes in exasperation.

"Boys, he's just learning. I'm sure he'll get better," I consoled. Poor Ron, he was probably feeling terrible.

"You don't understand Blayne. The Slytherins were there, making a beastly state of things. They jeered all practice and made everybody lose concentration, not to mention they now know how bloody awful our Keeper is."

"Hey, you two were the ones who made Katie's nosebleed ten times worse," Angelina said angrily, stomping up the stairs to her dormitory. They looked sheepishly at me.

"You WHAT? How could you be that ignorant and not look at the right stick you were giving her?" I cried, thumping both on the back of the head. They gave me identical puppy dog eyes and I rolled my own. "Just be more careful, she could really be hurt. She lost a lot of blood guys, she could be really sick."

"We know."

"Sorry Blayne."

"You better be. Later tonight you're going to apologize to her and give her some chocolates. I have a box in my room you can give her. Ugh, what am I going to do with you?" I tried in vain to flatten Fred's flyaway hair as a result of the muddy day spent flying.

I gave up with a sigh and pointed to the stairs leading to their dormitory. "Go. Get changed and then Fred we have to go practice. And please hurry, we haven't got all night. George, you need to finish your homework. Don't think I didn't see you goofing off before when Fred was trying to do his History of Magic essay." I gave him a stern look and made my way to my own dormitories.

"Yes Mum!" they called in unison after me. I shook my head. I was only looking after them. Someone had to, seeing as they didn't themselves.

I grabbed the box of chocolates and changed into a comfier pair of loose sweatpants, a plain blue wife beater, and one of Fred's oversized sweatshirts (that he didn't know I had taken because I had taken it three years prior). I pulled on my Converse and grabbed my Charms books for a cover.

I met Fred downstairs and grabbed his hand urgently. I had been waiting for this all day, and now I wanted it _now_.

Grasping his warm hand in my own, I flew down the stairs and through a door of an empty classroom, swishing my wand to silence the room and dropping my books. A second later, Fred's back was against the door and I was ravishing him with my mouth.

I clutched onto him helplessly, pulling our bodies close together. His mouth caressed my own in the time- old symphony only lovers knew. He grasped my back tightly in his own, rough hands and pulled me to him. I could never remember feeling so frenzied and so in tune with Fred before that time.

He tugged me closer still, as though he couldn't get us close enough. I wanted to merge with him, to become one. I ravaged his mouth, sucking and biting and licking and tugging. My hands found their way to his hair, grasping his beautiful locks in a tight grip and forcing his head down to mine harder.

Fred's hands came to rest on my ass and with a huff, I was hoisted in the air and my legs were wrapped tightly around his hips. I locked onto him, feeling him graze me and shuddering with the delicious friction our clothing created. I whimpered when his mouth tore from mine, refusing to let him get away from me, but the sound died on my lips when his mouth suctioned against my neck and tugged, biting the flesh softly and causing me to cry out in surprise.

I slid up on his body, falling back down onto his hands carefully and throwing my head back at the new sensation. He backed away from the wall and a second later the world tilted on its axis. I felt the hard wood of the desk against my backside and stared up to the ceiling as Fred's rough hands lifted up my (or more accurately, his) sweatshirt and the wife beater. I squeezed my eyes shut at the onslaught of sensation as his hands grasped me through my bra, feeling the sensation from the ends of my hair to the tips of my toes.

I tugged his hair and forced him back to my lips as he forcefully massaged my breasts, rubbing them just the perfect way. I felt my back arch up off the bed and saw my hair had turned a deep shade of red from the desire coursing through me. I let the discovery float out of my head as soon as it had entered. No thought would stay long except for one.

_Fred_.

I whispered his name and his own caressed the words as soon as they floated out. Each sound soared right into his mouth; each whispered word and mumbled sound became a part of him. They rightly should as well. They were made by him, for him. I felt the intense feelings surge inside me and I couldn't focus on anything else except for those two hands caressing me and tugging at me, knowing exactly what to do, when to do it, and the right pressure to apply.

I reached my hands up mindlessly to stroke Fred's backside and felt him twitch against me. I smirked, knowing I was doing something right. I slid my fingers into the back pockets of his jeans and moaned when he growled into my mouth. God I loved it when he growled. It was so primal, so unadulterated, so pure.

He made a short thrust into my hip and I felt my hips move on their own accord, rotating into his. Our hisses were simultaneous and I pressed my hands harder into his ass, forcing him to move closer to me.

I muttered his name again, arching up when his two long fingers came together to pinch my nipple tightly. Without thinking, my legs wrapped around his thighs and he thrust back at the same time. The force of it sent both of us sprawling towards the floor.

"Ugn," I groaned, rolling over and laying my overheated cheek against the cool concrete of the floor. I concentrated on slowing my heart rate down. A heart attack would do nobody any good, and it would certainly seem odd if I had an attack while tutoring Charms.

My legs were tangled around Fred; one was draped across his middle and the other trapped under his leg. I closed my eyes and when I had relaxed a bit, I turned my face and looked to my lover. He, too, looked shocked and confused, lying on the hard floor all wrapped up in me.

"Hey Freddie, could you…" I motioned to our legs, feeling my own start to cramp up. He looked surprised and then his eyes went wide in understanding, hopping up and apologizing. I shook my head and sat with my back against the table legs. He came to sit next to me.

"Wow." He stared straight ahead, as if not comprehending.

"Wow is right. That was a little…"

"Intense."

"Yeah." I rested my head on his shoulder and intertwined our hands together.

"We should… try to, um… do that in moderation…" Fred started, resting his cheek against the top of my hair and watching it slowly fade back to its previous dark blue. I ran a thumb over the back of his hand.

"Yeah. As much as I enjoyed that, I don't think it would be… wise to get that passionate too often. Someone would definitely notice," I added with a small chuckle. He laughed along.

"Mhm. It's just so hard wanting you and knowing I can have you but not being able to touch you-"

"I completely understand. I've been thinking about you all day. I could hardly do my homework while you were at practice."

He inhaled the scent of my hair. "I almost threw the Quaffle at Angelina's face in practice. You consume my every thought, Laynie."

"No shit." I knew exactly what he was talking about.

We sat there for a few more minutes before I decided he really did need to practice some Charms. I tweaked a bit of his technique and helped him understand the concept of an advanced charm and then we practiced actually charming some things. After about an hour, exhausted, we made our way back up to the Gryffindor common room. We stopped by a window on our way.

"The moon's so beautiful tonight," I commented, tracing its outline with my forefinger against the glass.

"It is. I remember how pretty it was at the Astronomy Tower too. Maybe the moon is shining for us, Blayne." With a grin, he bent down and kissed me softly on the lips. I melted into him, slowly letting my eyes flutter closed and tilting my head back. He pulled back all too soon, and our romantic moment was cut short when a cloud obscured the moon from view, shading the hallway in darkness.

"Oh, no. We're going to be late for curfew. Hurry Fred!" We ran the short way back to the tower and Fred proudly stated "Mumblus Mimbletona".

George was asleep and snoring by the fire when we walked in, his head hanging off the arm of the chair. I rolled my eyes and Fred lifted him up, carrying his half-awake twin up the stairs. I gave a short wave and disappeared up the staircase.

_Secret lovers covered by the darkness of night but illuminated by the moon._

Psht. Sounded too corny to me.

**hope you liked it. review, comment, favourite, alert...**

**where do u want it to go? like the fluff? how bout the lemon- flavored parts? **

**xxx my chickies**


	14. Revealing Secrets and Warming Up

**read, review, and tell me what you think! if you review, you'll get another preview! (tell me you want it when you comment)**

**PS- in your review, can you guys tell me if you would prefer if Blayne left with Fred and George in the middle of the year or finished up her sixth year? i'm torn.**

**in this part, you find out a little secret about Blayne you didn't know. and if you look up the meaning of her name, it IS important but it'll come in handy later in the series.**

**love you my chickies!**

I sighed, slouching down in my desk and tapping my quill against the parchment in front of me. It was Monday, the day that dragged on forever. Not to mention as of today I had to deal with Umbridge all day- she showed up in almost all my classes to "inspect" them. Don't even get me started.

We were currently in Potions, the last class of the day. I let my head droop down and drop into my hand, staring at the lecture board. I copied the notes wordlessly, feeling my eyes drift closed and jolt open.

"Psssst, Blayne!" a person hissed to the left of me. I groaned and rolled my head toward the sound. So far, at least, Umbridge hadn't showed up in this class. Fred made a funny gesture under the table at me, pointing to the left of him, to the other side of the classroom. I slowly looked over there, taking in the two Slytherins that sat side-by-side.

"Looks like they're having a good time in this class at least," I mumbled, watching them eye-fuck each other across their books and not-so-slyly caress each other's legs under the table.

"I wish I could touch you," he whispered in my ear. I shivered, dropping my eyes and sitting straight up in my chair. I needed to concentrate. Plus, I hated detentions and we were sure to get one if Snape caught us.

I could tell that Fred was eyeing me from the corner of his eye. I closed my hand in a tight grip around my thigh to keep from accidently touching him on impulse. Damn it, I loved when he looked at me like that.

He smiled softly, taking my hand under the table and running his thumb over the back. I bit my lip, looking at him slyly from the side of my eyes. He was so cute.

I was just about to say so when the door creaked open. A stout shadow snaked into the room and the pitter patter of pointy heels sounded echoed off the dark walls of the dungeons.

"Good afternoon, Professor Snape. I trust you received my little note?" that sickly, all-too-familiar voice trilled. I gritted my teeth and grabbed Fred's hand harder under the table. He squeezed mine reassuringly and gave me a loving look from his seat.

"You're here whether I want you to be or not," Snape grumbled. I bit back a laugh. Good. I'm glad somebody was standing up to this god-awful toad; even if it was Snape.

"Hem, hem. Continue teaching, I am just merely a fly on the wall if you will. Here to observe only." She took a sit in the back of the room with her little baby pink clipboard. I tell you, I would never think of baby pink the same way after spending these weeks with Umbridge.

I squeezed Fred's hand and dropped it to raise my hand. Something seemed off to me about the notes Snape was administering.

"Miss Tonks," Snape said grumpily, waving his hand. We were learning about the Draught of the Living Death, a sleeping potion, and in our book it said you should cut the sopophorous beans but in a book I had read once it had detailed that making a correct Draught of the Living Death required crushing sopophorous beans.

"In our textbooks it explains that one must cut sopophorous beans. I was under the impression that rather, one crushes them."

"Miss Tonks, the goal of the Potions course is for you to learn, is it not? Learn and discover the answer yourself," a bored voice droned on. I rolled my eyes to myself quickly and luckily only Fred saw and restrained his laughter.

"Professor, you did not answer Andromache's question but rather give a roundabout answer. Who taught you this method of teaching?" Umbridge was on the prowl.

"I discovered it," Snape snapped back.

"Does Headmaster Dumbledore condone such teaching methods?"

"Obviously," came a sneer.

"Hmm." Umbridge stuffed her face in her clipboard and Snape went on, harsher this time, in reciting the notes.

As soon as class was dismissed, I grabbed my stuff and flew out of there. Halfway down the hall the twins appeared on either side of me.

"Umbridge called you Andromache," George gasped.

"Haha, your crazy mythological name!" Fred teased, nudging my shoulder. I hid my head in my books.

"I HATE when people use my real name!" I cried, embarrassed. It was so ridiculous.

"What if we called you Mac?" George supplied. I shook my head.

"I decided when I was little that I wanted my middle name to be the one I used. I am Blayne Tonks, not that absurd cow of a name!" I stomped my feet up the stairs to the commons to toss my books into the dormitory.

"But you're a Tonks kid. Your mom and your sister have insane mythological names, it's only fitting you should too."

"And look how that worked out for Tonks. She'd rather be called our LAST NAME then her first!" I crossed my arms over my chest. "And I like Blayne. It's tons of times better then that other ruddy name."

"Maybe there's a reason you have that name," George tried, slinging an arm over my shoulder on the way to dinner.

"And what would that be? To embarrass me until I die?"

"Who knows. Maybe you'll see when you're older."

"Now I feel like I'm two and my dad said I'd learn about sex when I was older," I complained. "You my dad, Freddie?"

"Hell no."

"Good."

We sat down at the dinner table and heaped large helpings of food onto our plates. I hungrily devoured mine and only paused to put in my two cents when they made a comment worth remarking upon.

After a piece of treacle tart, we lethargically made our way back to the Commons. "I'm worried about passing my N.E.W.T.s if Umbridge isn't going to let us practice the use of defensive spells," I complained, leaning against the closest twin.

"I'm more worried about He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named killing all of us because we can't defend ourselves because a hideously dressed old woman is too dense to believe he's back," Fred supplied offhandedly.

"Yeah, there's that too."

"We need to know how to defend ourselves. It's the only way we'll survive this upcoming thing, whatever it is. We need to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts in some other way." George mumbled the password and we all plopped down onto our designated seats.

"We need a teacher who _teaches_ first." I grabbed a stray nail file on the side table and started to absently file my nails while I listened to the conversation.

"There's no way we're getting rid of Umbridge. She's a permanent fixture. She reminds me of that portrait of Snuffle's mum over the summer. She's hideous, trechorous, mean, and torturous, but she can't be removed and she wails when you touch her. There's no way around it but to sneak about her. I reckon that's the same idea with Umbridge," I commented quietly, staring at my fingernails.

"So what do you propose? We teach ourselves?" Fred snipped.

"No. We need a teacher who's not Umbridge who's willing to teach a diverse group of students of all different ages and skill levels how to defend themselves against what's coming. That person has to have experience, tact, knowledge, and the ability to teach-"

"And be willing to sneak around and be available at odd times of the day to teach," Fred added.

"And be able to be contacted simply and quickly at a moment's notice if we're compromised," said George.

"They must be smart and accommodating." I nodded.

"It would help if they understood what we were going through and knew how to deal with what was coming."

"First we need to find someone that believes the _he's_ back," I pointed out.

There was silence and deep thought for a few moments. Then we all looked at each other at the same time and one single name slipped out simultaneously.

"Harry."

* * *

I went to tell Hermione what our idea was later that day and she nodded quickly and told me she'd thought the same thing earlier that day, looking surprised that the twins and I had come up with it. I shrugged at her surprise. We were clever- how else would we come up with our ideas and get out of the millions of problems that arose after we got caught? She said she'd ask Harry later and we'd know if it worked.

On Thursday I got a detention with Umbridge when I asked her to please refer to me as Blayne and not Andromache. She told me that I "shall not defy a professor". When I served the detention that night, I carved the word "hardcore" into the back of my hand instead of her directions and then wrapped it up. On Friday I put soothing lotion I had made the week before for such occasions on my hand and bared it to the world, watching out for Umbridge and altering my appearance when she came close.

Every time she saw me she referred to me as Miss Tonks or Miss Andromache. I just accepted it now, even though I hated it.

Tonks sent me an owl back saying she was not at the liberty to discuss work matters with me, to which I scoffed and stuck out my tongue at the paper. She denied having romantic feelings for our werewolf friend, but that hardly meant anything, and told me she'd talk to me soon.

Fred and I continued to meet during the evenings to "study" and most of the time, contrary to popular belief, we were actually either really studying or just relaxing in each other's presence. It was so great to finally have someone who listened.

On one cold fall day, the next Wednesday the 18th, I went to watch Quidditch practice. Hermione and I wrapped ourselves up in scarves and heavy robes, turtlenecks, and boots and gloves. We huddled together on the stands overlooking the pitch and watched as Ron tried his hardest to catch the large balls thrown at him and Harry raced around the pitch.

George kept thudding his Beater to the sound of some silent song in boredom and circling in the air, making shapes with his broom in the wind. Fred took the opportunity to practice his flying skills, whirling up and down and over and under through the windy air. His bright red hair flashed about here, then there, and when Angelina finally shouted for the two of them to stop messing about, they began to throw the Bludgers at each other with amazing force so the other had to whack them back in a certain direction.

Hermione and I chatted about classes and how Harry was holding up. We talked a bit about the idea of making a sort of outside class for learning Defense Against the Dark Arts and how we would invite anybody who wanted to come to the meetings. We brainstormed ideas as to where to have it, that is, in the case that Harry said yes. He still hadn't mentioned it since Hermione had asked him the first time and he blew up. I gave her a reassuring hug and told her he just had a lot on his mind. Merlin knows it must be hard for that poor little boy.

"Come on, love, practice is over. I'll meet you down by the pitch entrance after I go change. George has to meet with Lee about some financial issue so we have the night to do whatever you would like." He smiled at me and waved to Hermione, flying over to the changing rooms.

I watched as he joined the team and touched down near the rooms, slapping his younger brother on the back in a friendly acknowledgement. As much as he teased Ron, I knew he loved him dearly. Whether he would admit it or not, he was immensely proud of him for being made Prefect and the Keeper.

The reasons Fred teased the younger Weasley mercilessly was, yes, that he just enjoyed watching him squirm and loved to make jokes, whether at the expense of others or not. But there was more to it than just that, and Fred had talked to me about this on a few occasions. Despite what you think, Fred and I _were_ best friends before we hooked up and I knew him like the back of my hand.

Fred and George were never as "good" as their older siblings. They didn't score well on the O.W.L.s and they didn't get made Prefect. The only goal they had for their future was to own a joke shop, a profession that their mother didn't approve of. They didn't get top marks, they're pranks weren't admired by their parents (for the most part), and their intelligence was never noted. They, for all intents and purposes, were the black sheep of the family. They did have one thing though- they were Beaters and they were best friends with me.

So when I allude to the fact that I loved Ron like a brother as well, or when Ginny, Bill, Charlie and I made jokes and hung out, it's only natural that the twins get a little protective and jealous. I'm the only thing they have that's _theirs_, the only difference between their family members and the only thing that they can take pride in about being different. When Ron was made Keeper, it was their right to be upset about it. That was the only thing they had that was better than Ron. When he was made Prefect, they should have gotten jealous because he was in the limelight like they never had been.

George more readily showed his appreciation for him brother, but that was just George's personality. It was a known fact that George was the more compassionate of the two, where as Fred was the dangerous and hot-tempered twin. Together they made the perfect match, a pair to even each other out.

It's also one of the reasons I knew that George would get very upset when he found out about Fred and I. So far, the twins had shared me- I had been a part of a trio, not a duo. I was like their favorite toy, that they only had and their siblings, as much as they wanted it, couldn't attain. When George knew that he had been pushed aside for the other part of the trio, he would feel jealous, possessive, angry, hurt, and betrayed. He would feel like the third wheel, but more importantly he'd feel like we stabbed him in the back.

And even though I felt things for Fred romantically, George was my _best friend_. I couldn't believe I was allowing myself to do this to him. I knew it would come out eventually, but I was going to take the most steps I could in preventing it from happening any time soon. Delaying the inevitable, if you will.

Hermione and I slowly made our way to the entrance of the pitch in silence as I contemplated my thoughts. Feeling guilty, I shoved my terrible thoughts aside and forgot about them. That would be in the future, a while away from now.

When we reached the crossroads, I hugged Hermione goodbye and told her we'd talk more later. I did enjoy talking to Hermione. It gave me perspective on life and let me voice my opinions on intelligent matters that Fred and George would brush off as unimportant. Speaking of the devils…

The duo stumbled out of the changing rooms in clean robes. Fred was wearing a Gryffindor scarf and both heads of hair were disheveled. They were punching each other and laughing in boisterous tones, two big goofy grins plastered across their faces. Their good mood was infectious and I felt myself being picked up into happiness and forgetting my morbid view.

"Hey Blayne, I'll see ya later! Lee wants to go over some marketing stuff and Fred here is too scatterbrained to focus on the money aspect. Good-for-nothing twin..." George bumped his shoulder into his doppelganger and waved a hearty goodbye, running away and up to the castle behind his teammates.

"Cheers!" I called after his retreating form.

"What do you want to do, my princess, my queen, apple of my eye?" Fred crooned playfully. I rolled my eyes.

"I just want to be with you." When it was clear that everyone was out of eyesight, I leaned into his shoulder.

"Well aren't you just charming today?" He wrapped his arm around my waist and kissed the side of my forehead.

"Yeah well, I'm just trying to get you to cuddle me. It's fucking freezing out here!" I curled into his side and he tightened his arm.

"Liar."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Bollocks."

"Clear off, you fraud."

"Oh bugger. You're a prick, Fredrick Weasley."

"A bloomin' six foot prick, to be exact. Just the way you like it," he whispered in my ear. I squealed and hit him on the arm, running away from him before he could retaliate. "Come here! You can't run from me forever!" he sang.

"Who says?" I smirked and dodged his attempt. He squished his face up and charged at me like a bull. I lithely stepped out of his way; he caught himself before he toppled over himself.

"Andromache Blayne Tonks."

"Fredrick Septimus Weasley."

"You're sexy as fuck."

"How fascinating." I dodged another attempt and put my hands on my hips. "And you're smashing."

"Smashing into you." I thought of the implications of such a phrase and suddenly his arms were around me and he was tackling me to the ground under the stands in the Quidditch pitch. I squealed and grabbed a hold of his biceps, squeezing my eyes shut as I suddenly found myself on the back in the hard, frozen dirt.

"Bugger," I whispered, reaching my hand up and grazing it over the side of his face, effectively pushing the soft ginger hair out of his eyes. His arms were on either side of my head, pinning me down with my body. I could feel every hard, perfect plane of his body.

"Told you I'll always catch you." His lips crashed onto mine in a sweet movement.

It was a short kiss, sweet and to the point. But it made my heart sing all the same and I loved the way my insides immediately flamed with heat from the love that I felt, radiating out from my heart and infusing every part of my body.

"Well that's a way to warm a girl up." I stared up into his eyes with a small smile, licking my lips.

He laughed, the action lighting up his face and making his eyes sparkle. I smiled bigger at the beautiful sound and wrapped my arms around his neck. He rolled so that he was on the bottom against the hard, cold ground and I was cushioned on his warm, protective body.

I intertwined our hands together and rested them against the frozen floor, running my nose along his jaw and kissing the trail I had made. He softly ran his thumb over the back of my hand, the calloused pad of his finger tracing my name over and over again on my skin.

"Lanie," he whispered. I sighed his name back, tucking my head between his chin and chest and listening to the steady thump of his heart. It was faster than normal, but still a calm, sturdy beat. I set my breathing to its pattern and hummed quietly. Words did not need to be shared between us; I had a feeling they would ruin the moment anyways.

We laid there for a while, and I can remember that he twirled my hair between his fingers and kissed my forehead often. I also remember the soft and sweet kisses we shared on that cold September afternoon and that I felt as though I never wanted the moment to end even though it was freezing out. In our own little bubble of perfection, anything was possible.


	15. Once a Prankster, Always a Prankster

**I'm SO SO SO SORRY this took so long. I was in two plays back to back and I was a little stressed, but I'm back on track and ready to roll! 3 sorry guys.**

**I do realize that in the book, Ron tore up the letter, but I thought it might add some spice to the story and show the underlying tension around Percy for Blayne.**

**Also, I know the teacup was invented around Harry and Ron's third year but it fit well here and also gives leeway to the idea that because Fred and George thought it was so awesome, they made a version for WWW.**

**This chapter seems like it's just friend fluff, but if you look for it there are subtle hints at future ideas and the plot line.**

**PS- I advise you to check out my profile for the link to my photobucket account to CHECK OUT THE PICTURES OF THE CAST AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION!**

"What's that?" George asked, pointing to a folded up piece of paper on the table.

"I dunno. Someone probably forgot their homework or something," I said offhandedly with a flip of my wrist.

We were sitting in the Common Room by the fire, each in our signature seats, and working on some homework. The fire was blazing and bathing my body in warmth, and each of us had a mug of hot coco by our sides.

Fred, not being able to resist the lure of the unknown, reached over to pick it up.

"Is that-"

"It certainly looks like his handwriting to me," George finished.

"Who's?" I asked, leaning across the arm of the chair between Fred and I.

"Percy's," we replied in unison, each of our tones coloured with darkness.

"That bloody git. Who in Merlin's name is he writing to? What gives him the right?" Fred fumed and ripped open the letter, almost splitting it in two.

All of our eyes quickly read through the letter. There was a brief uproar between us when we saw that it was addressed to Ron, but I shook it off and continued to read.

I stopped, aghast, at the part where he mentioned that he was afraid that "_you would take what we might call the 'Fred and George' route, rather than following in my footsteps, so you can imagine my feelings on hearing you have stopped flouting authority and have decided to shoulder some real responsibility." _Not only was he insinuating that Fred and George didn't take responsibility for anything and defied authority, but the tone he used was akin to one that a parent would use to talk about a misbehaving cruppy. I could not believe the nerve of this boy, after he had left and disowned his parents, scarring his family! Talk about _shirking duty and responsibility_!

_It may be that you are afraid to sever ties with Potter - I know that he can be unbalanced and, for all I know, violent - but if you have any worries about this, or have spotted anything else in Potter's behavior that is troubling you, I urge you to speak to Dolores Umbridge, a truly delightful woman who I know will be only too happy to advise you._

I was seething, my hair turning a violent shade of red, and my hands balled into fists. How DARE he? Also, he obviously has NEVER met Umbridge, or is simply utterly blind and stupid as hell, if he thinks that!

… _Perhaps that will open their eyes to the kind of petty criminals with whom they are currently rubbing shoulders.** It would not surprise me if that Tonks child turns out to be just as dangerous and risky as her older sister, of whom needs to learn to grow up and accept responsibility rather than go around flaunting her metamorphmagus abilities for the amusement of others.** I do hope, Ron, that you will not allow family ties to blind you to the misguided nature of our parents' beliefs and actions, either. I sincerely hope that, in time, they will realize how mistaken they were and I shall, of course, be ready to accept a full apology when that day comes._

"WHO THE HELL DOES HE THINK HE IS?" Fred bellowed, angrily tearing up the parchment and shoving the pieces into the fire. "He has no right to say those things!"

"Doesn't mean he doesn't say them," George pointed out, fisting his hands.

"Doesn't mean we have to listen to him," I commented angrily, my whole body flushed and ready for a fight. "Damn him. Damn him to Hell and back again!"

"I can't believe Mum and Dad had put up with him until this. I just cannot deal with this. He is a disgrace to the family!" George snarled.

"And he called _us_ the ones who don't know right from wrong in our family! Maybe he should look in a FUCKING MIRROR!"

"Not to mention what he said about Blayne. I have half a mind to go to his flat in London and wedge that broom even further up his arse until he bleeds!" Fred hit the armchair with his fist with a loud thump.

"I just can't believe him. I wonder what Ron did when he got the letter." I grinned slightly, imagining the trio by this fire reading the god-awful parchment.

"Go to Hell Percy. Go to hell."

* * *

The rest of September came and went without many more incidents. I received a letter from Tonks late in the month with a lot of scratched out words and paraphrasing, so I assumed she'd been forced to censor it. The trio stayed on the down- low and didn't get into too much trouble. Ginny was off gallivanting with her boyfriend every time I tried to talk to her, so for the most part we had limited contact, between her public snogs and my secret ones.

Fred and I continued our 'Charms practice' and sneaky snog sessions behind closed doors. I could feel myself get more attached to him and it, quite honestly, scared me. I also noticed the flares of jealousy that resulted from the apparent showings of affection by couples that were out in the open. I loved being with Fred secretly, not having to worry about professors or other students, or our biggest worry, George, but I craved to kiss him goodbye before bed and to hold his hand on the way to dinner.

So far, I hadn't brought it up. I was, frankly, afraid of what Fred would say. I also knew it would be a bad idea to oust our relationship. For now, we were keeping it a secret.

Hermione had excitedly ran up to me one day at the end of September, wind-blown and disheveled, and explained (with quite a lot of hand motions) that Harry had agreed to teach DADA to willing students- or at least try to. I jumped up and down with her, an uncharacteristic move for Granger, excited that I wouldn't fail my N.E.W.T. examination in my seventh year because of Umbridge. And maybe, just maybe, I could learn to defend myself from that retched damnation of a man if it came to that.

Needless to say, when the first Hogsmeade trip came around, I was ecstatic. That Saturday morning, October 5, I woke up with a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

I fashioned my hair in two lime green braids and some cute choppy side bangs and quickly pulled on a black tank top, a pair of bootleg jeans with rips in them, and a blue plaid collared shirt. I tied up my vibrant purple Converse and did my makeup boldly, adding some bright red lipstick. Throwing my robes over my outfit and sticking a pair of silver swirl earrings George got me for Christmas fourth year, I stuck my wand in my robes and dashed down to the common room (George and Fred stepping on the stairs to turn them into a slide for me) to our usual meeting spot.

"Who's ready for a wonderful, perfect day at Hogsmeade Village?" I cried, threading my arms through each of the twins'. They each murmured their approval and walked with me down to the Quidditch pitch where we told their names to Filtch, who, grumbling, approved us to follow the long line of students down to the village.

It was a bright and windy day out, but that didn't matter to me. Lee caught up with us upon entering the town and ate a quick lunch with us at the Three Broomsticks.

"How long do you reckon that old toad will last here?" Lee asked, taking a sip of his Butterbeer.

Fred grinned, tapping the side of his noggin. "I wager she'll be gone by the end of the month with all our racket." He was always the big-headed one.

"I say it'll be just a few days before Christmas holiday," George added, "before she's running with her tail between her legs screaming."

"You blokes underestimate the willpower of a woman on a mission. And I can tell that that one's going to be hard to get rid of, unfortunately. I doubt even our scandals will be enough to thwart her. It appears to me that only the Golden Trio's mess in the end of the year will be enough to muddle a piece of hair on her perfect little round head." I took a long swig of my mug, feeling the almost sickeningly sweet liquid burn down my throat.

"I think you underestimate _us_, Blayne Tonks. I bet one Galleon that she'll be fed up with us by Boxing Day." Lee tossed a coin onto the table between us.

"Lee's got the right idea," Fred said, tossing in a coin of his own, "I wager I'll be the one to get this pot, too."

"My knowledge of the female variety is what will win me four Galleons, boys." I flipped my coin and it landed in the growing pile. "And I'll buy myself a nice new outfit for next summer with my winnings."

"Ha, don't come crying to me when I win, Tonks!" With a grin, George added his with a flourish. I rounded up the coins, as per tradition, and conjured up a black velvet bag, emptying them into it. I tied the drawstrings and we each put a hand on the bag.

"Blayne."

"George."

"Lee."

"Fred."

"When Dolores Umbridge leaves Hogwarts, this velvet bag shall return to the winner of the bet. Thank you stars." I hit the top of the drawstring and it vanished with a _pop_.

"Let's go on to Zonko's. I wanted to check out that new Vanishing Ink. Hear it's a lot like Muggles' "_invisible ink"_." Lee lept up from his seat and smiled.

"Alright, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist," Fred and George said in unison. George extended a hand to help me out of my seat and we made our way out of the bar to Zonko's, grabbing my mug of Butterbeer and waving goodbye to the staff, of which we had all become well acquainted with.

We all slowly meandered down the path towards our goal, the joke shop in town. I sighed, stopping in a window for a second.

"Isn't that just the most gorgeous ring you've ever seen?" I wistfully stared at the diamond and aquamarine ring gleaming up at me.

"Come on Blayne!" George called.

"Yeah, nobody cares about some ring. We have more important things to admire up ahead!" Lee called, urging me on with his violent hand gestures.

"Yeah, I suppose. At least I can afford Zonko's toys," I muttered, sending one lasting glance behind me. Fred looked at me with an odd expression on his face, and then shrugged it off when he realized I was watching him, instead winking at me obnoxiously. I rolled my eyes, even though my insides had secretly flamed up at his affectionate gesture.

"You coming?" George called, jerking his head at his twin. Fred shook his own ginger head and nodded, running to meet us as we were now farther ahead of him.

"Come onnnn! If we don't get there soon, all the good bits will be gone!" Lee sped up his walking and I had to run to keep up, but before long the four of us rushed through the door and looked around at the tiny shop packed full with prank ideas.

"Ahh. It's been too long since we've been here." I sighed, running my hands along the shelves and picking up the odd item.

"Agreed, my dear. How I've missed your charming remarks," a warm, crackled voice drawled. I turned quickly, smiling when I saw the weathered old face of Mr. Zonko.

"Mr. Zonko!" George exclaimed cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Fine, fine. Nothing out of the usual has happened since I saw you all last. Except I hear that the old bastard is at it again," the elderly man coughed bitterly.

"Too true, Mr. Zonko. You- Know- Who is at large once again." Lee clasped him on the back, shaking his head regretfully.

"Please promise you'll stay out of trouble, sir. Nobody ever knows if they're next, and it could be anybody in the crossfire. I do know how you like your risks, Mr. Z., but I couldn't stand it if one of your pranks went awry and you ended up being next." I hugged him, brushing his grey hair softly and smiling up at his worn features.

He was my grandfather in every sense of the word. My own grandparents had shoved my parents in the boot a long time ago, and as far as I knew it was simply Tonks, Mum, Dad, me, and my Dad's muggle relatives. And Snuffles, of course, but he had long ago picked Harry over his blood cousins, Nymph and I. it was easy to see why one could be a little resentful of the anamagious, what him being our only wizarding family member and all. I quickly learned to rise above my slight agitation at being shoved aside for my more favorable, younger friend, because I _did_ have two parents regardless of any outside family and I _did_ know what love was. Harry needed Sirius, and it was extremely selfish of me to be jealous over the bond they shared. I constantly told myself this, though in the deep recesses of my heart, I did feel some bitterness.

"You know I can never promise that, my charming young witch! Once a prankster, always a prankster!" A unison agreement of "Here, here!" boomed in the tiny space. Each of us had wide smiles on our faces.

"I have something wonderful to show you all! I've been waiting until you came to put them on the shelves. The shipment came in last week. You're going to love them!" We all eagerly followed our elderly friend into the store room at the back of the shop. I looked around, captivated by all the baubles and potions and creams lining the shelves, especially the brightly coloured ones. I made a mental note to make sure Fred and George only made products with attention-grabbing colours and phrases.

Mr. Z. pulled out a large box of what looked like teacups. He looked like a little boy in a candy shop, and it was just so adorable. The three boys hunched over the cardboard box and Mr. Zonko pulled out one of them.

"What does it do?" George asked in wonder, reaching out to touch the shiny ceramic. I picked one up myself and started to inspect it, touching and inspecting. It looked ordinary, but what could a teacup do to prank someone? Squirt the tea back at you?

Perhaps it bit your nose off. Haha… that would be a good one.

Wait. Did it really bite your nose off?

That would hurt. And there would be a lot of visits to the hospital wing.

Maybe a carnivorous teacup was a bad idea. But damn, it would be pretty fricken funny.

Still…

"It doesn't… bite your nose off, does it?" I asked tentatively, running a finger gingerly over the rim of the cup.

"That's EXACTLY what it does my brilliant little witch!" the grey-haired man exclaimed, holding the teacup up to the light. "Isn't that just the most charming idea?"

"Yes… charming." I put the teacup down on the table like it had shot me. I stared wide-eyed at the item as it lay on the table, cradling my hand to my chest protectively and glaring at the would- be- offending object. I liked all ten of my fingers. I had even named them. And it would be a terrible tragedy to lose Floo. Or Fil. Or even Finter, even though he was my left hand thumb and the least important. But still, even non-important fingers needed to be loved.

"Wicked!" Fred erupted, putting his eye right up to the white porcelain until his eyelashes flittered along the cup. "What a bloody fantastic idea!"

"Nobody would suspect it, that's for sure," Lee commented, peering into the box, his face alight with curiosity.

George turned to Mr. Z. "How much do they cost?"

"Two sickles each." He was still looking at the little ceramic piece like it was his child.

"You invented it." I said it as a statement, not a question. It was plain to see that he did.

"Who else could invent such an arse-kicking idea?" Fred blurted. George, Lee, and I immediately nodded and added murmurs of agreement.

"Oh now hush. You're embarrassing me!" Mr. Z.'s cheeks actually coloured. I grinned and kissed his cheek.

"What a wonderful idea, Mr. Zonko. I trust you _have_ made sure the cups don't _actually…_ eat our noses right?" I kissed him on his pink, wrinkly cheek and stood up.

"Of course, silly witch. Wouldn't want little noses hopping all over the tables now would we? It'd ruin the product. Plus, all that blood is a bit of a mess. Not to mention all the law suits I would be receiving!" He chuckled good-naturedly and stood up with a wince, cutting his laughter off.

"Thinking about retiring yet, old man?" George joked, helping him stand up straight. A loud cracking noise came from his back and my eyes went wide while my stomach clenched uncomfortably. I really hated bone cracking.

"Never, son. Can't with all this business. Not to mention, who would aid the cute little Hogwarts wizards and witches who want to create havoc for good old Filtch? No, I could never retire." He shook his head slowly and walked out of the door. "Anyways, you know what they say. Once a prankster-"

"Always a prankster." In unison, we followed him out of the storage room.

"But what if we took over the shop, Mr. Zonko?" George asked, leaning on the counter casually.

Mr. Z. was taken aback. He looked, startled, at the twin and cocked his eyebrow. "This old shop? Why would you want this one? No, you best make your own, brand new store. Start out fresh. You can always take over for me in the end. I would be more than happy to give you this old building. By the way, making any headway in a place?"

"None yet. We've been looking, and we've pretty much decided we want someplace in Diagon Alley or here, but we haven't found our baby yet," George supplied.

"Never fear! Soon enough we'll have our own little place and we'll be all settled in. We're us, remember?" I nudged our mentor lightly with my shoulder and grinned up at him.

"Naturally. Oh bother, students flooding in! Grab some teacups round back and I'll ring 'em up for you with all your other stuff. Don't forget your twenty percent discount!" He hurried away at the sound of the bell ringing and we all took our time looking at the new products, fiddling with gadgets, and smelling stuff.

I felt more at home standing there in the joke shop (that on more occasions than one had been my haven), with my best friends and secret lover, playing around with prank ideas and joke toys, than I had in a few weeks.


	16. Secret Meetings

**hey guys, here's another chapter. i hope you like it, it's kind of a filler, so its sort of boring but its also got a lot of info needed that moves the plot along.**

**ps- who saw harry potter and the deathly hallows part one MIDNIGHT PREMIER! i did 3 it was fantastic, was it not?**

**okay so i forgot to put this in the last chapter but if you review, you're gunna get a teaser! so review, because it makes me write faster plus you get a good teaser.**

**next chapter is a lot more exciting. it's crazy, i know you guys are gunna love the drama. but for now, enjoy this chapter.**

**:D**

"Hurry, we've already wasted enough time. We've got to get to Hog's Head to meet up with Harry and the others. They're going to be telling us about the new idea for learning DADA. Must we always be late for everything?"

"It's not our fault we forgot. You know by now how forgetful we are."

"Yeah, it really is your fault for not reminding us!"

"Oh shut up you sods. You didn't help either."

We flew up the stairs of the dingy, dirty tavern. I didn't waste time in looking around and taking in our ghastly surroundings, instead focusing on my task of finding Harry, Hermione, and Ron before the meeting started. I knew the others were following at my heels by the sounds of their bickering.

With a grateful sigh, I located the three friends and quickly took a seat next to Ginny who was next to her boyfriend. Fred sat next to me, then Lee, then George. Harry looked shell-shocked and was whispering quickly to Hermione and Ron and I rolled my eyes at his antics. He was probably scared to death about the amount of people that showed up, poor bloke.

Fred took in the slightly uncomfortable positions of our fellow peers and stood up, striding over to the old, grubby bartender and asking for twenty-six Butterbeers. Of course, when he received the beers and started handing them out, he made everybody pay for them. I threw in my coins and Fred shook his head and pushed them back at me. "This one's on me love." He whispered it low to my ear inconspicuously, as everybody else was occupied by chatting with one another or staring at Harry. Nobody noticed how a faint pink tinted my cheeks or how my hand accidentally brushed Fred's chest. We both sat back down quickly.

"I can't wait 'till we can get some Firewhiskey on Halloween Eve. It's been way too long that we've been surviving on just Butterbeer and pumpkin juice," Fred commented in my direction. George and Lee were making some joke about the old woman sitting at the bar and were in their own little conversation, so Fred and I took the opportunity to make small gooey faces at each other.

"Mhm. I can't wait for Halloween. The feast is always brilliant and everybody loves the secret party us Gryffindor have. I'm excited to get to go this year. Last year I was stuck in my dorm and had to go to bed early because you two were off gallivanting with Angelina," I sneered. He gave me a warning look and I shrugged my shoulders. "What are you going to be?"

"I dunno. Maybe… a pirate? Everybody loves a pirate."

"That's true. I certainly love their rough, deep voices and the way they just call out sin." I giggled at his face. "Me, I think I might be one of the whore costumes that float around in the Muggle world. Like a French maid or something."

"Damn, what's your goal this Halloween? Kill me and make a real ghost out of me so I don't need a costume?" His eyes had darkened and his voice had gotten deeper and I found myself swallowing thickly in response.

"I just want you to have a good time," I replied innocently, biting my lip and widening my eyes in child-like innocence.

Hermione broke the conversation and everybody else fell silent as Fred was rolling his eyes and muttering "yeah, right". After a few minutes of polite explanation of the objective of this "club", she was interrupted by another student.

"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts OWL too, though, I bet?" Michael Corner jumped up.

"Of course I do," Hermione agreed. "But more than that, I want to be properly trained in defense because… because…" she paused and took a deep breath, "because Lord Voldemort is back."

"Here, HERE!" I cried, raising my mug and taking a long swig of the sweet contents. I got many looks of distaste and about eight approving smiles from the people in attendance who liked me. The Hufflepuff snot, Zacharias Smit or whatever his name was, decided to be a right git and challenge Hermione and Harry and my impatience steadily grew. After his little comment about the fact that everybody has the 'right to know how You-Know-Who got back' I almost pummeled him.

"Oh sod off. Harry doesn't have an obligation to explain himself to anybody, let alone you. So shut your yapper before I do it for you, Zachaliah Smoot!" I crossed my arms over my chest and stared pointedly at Hermione, nodding for her to continue.

"Er, yes well… That's really not what this meeting was supposed to be about." Harry responded that it was alright and the two boys quarreled about the Cedric predicament for a little bit. Hermione tried to right the conversation but was easily thrown off when a girl asked about Harry's Patronus. After that came a long list of all the accomplishments of the Boy Who Lived, Zechamarmah Smeeth decided to cause trouble again and Fred got enough of it this time, angrily correcting his misinterpretation of Harry's comment.

"That's not what he said," my secret lover snarled.

"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" George asked politely and pulled out a long metal object that we had just bought from one of his many Zonko bags.

"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this," said Fred.

"I wonder if it'd fit beside that huge stick up your ar-"

"YES, well!" Hermione interrupted my angry comment, continuing her speech. Zoochehiah Smach kept his eye on the magic powder measuring instrument warily the rest of the meeting in between his long, angry glares at my forehead, which I found to be highly amusing.

Things went on quite funnily for the next bit, people commenting and making absurd wackos out of themselves and all. At one point, Luna and Hermione got in a bit of a tiff and Neville looked thoroughly confused for the next few days over their disagreement. Ginny imitated Umbridge, quite well actually, and eventually we decided on a once- a- week day that we hadn't fully settled on yet. Nor did we decide on a meeting place.

However, we did all sign a parchment to ensure our compliance and Fred and I were the first ones to sign, of which I felt quite accomplished.

"Well, time's ticking on," Fred said quickly and stood up. "George, Lee, Blayne and I have got items of a sensitive nature to purchase; we'll be seeing you all later."

I stood and followed him out, waving to Hermione and the boys and hugging Gin goodbye, shouting, "Great job, thanks!" over my shoulder on the way out.

"George and I have to meet Mundungus. Blayne, can you go talk to Mr. Diggles and see about any shops for sale and then we can go look at them later this month? And Lee, if you would be so kind as to keep trying to figure out a way to make those anti-gravity hats stop making us so dizzy that we throw up, that would be great. Then we best meet around two and split up, Blayne and I and you two, because I need to get some new dress clothes and things and need Blayne's opinion and you two would be no ruddy help whatsoever. Sound like a plan?" Fred nodded and grabbed George, disappearing with a POP.

"Have fun guys." I bid farewell to thin air and waved goodbye to Lee. Then I made my way down the street to the Delius Diggles' Dynamic Dwellings, our real estate agent's office. I politely knocked on the door and a chipper "come in!" sounded from behind the heavy oak. I pushed the door open and stepped inside the 60's decorated office.

"Good afternoon Mr. Diggles," I smiled, sitting in the brown wing- backed leather chair in front of his desk.

"What a pleasant surprise, Miss Tonks! I trust you've been well?" The young middle-aged man smiled brightly, leaning closer on his desk. He was a stick- thin man with shocking bright blue eyes and a sharply defined face, his whole demeanor chipper and energetic. He was about thirty and had a slightly receding hair line, but still maintained his jet black colour. He wore bright blue robes and a tilted, matching bowler hat. His voice was the most surprising, though. It was high-pitched and feminine, happy, and always cheerful. He was the type of man who could always make you smile even when you were truly upset just by looking at his demeanor.

"Very well indeed. And you? I assume Neglius is just as wonderful as always?"

"Oh, only the best! I don't think that man has been ill a day in his life!" the older man chuckled, referring to his life-long partner. They had gotten married ten years ago and were still going strong. In most of the magical world, the gay community was small and not widely recognized, but most everyone except snotty purebloods accepted and embraced others' sexual preferences.

"Oh good, I'm so glad. Any luck on the little baby girl from Ireland?" I asked. The two had been trying to adopt a little female baby from a magical couple in Ireland who didn't have the recourses to take care of her themselves. So far they'd been trying to adopt the one-month-old since three months before she was even born.

"Yes! We're going out next week to pick her up and bring her home with us! We're just so excited!" He eyes got a little brighter and his smile a little softer, as if he was imagining being a father.

"I'm so happy for you two. I can't wait to meet her! I'll have to visit sometime in this next month. Maybe you could bring her to one of the open houses for a shop. Speaking of, any new buildings up for sale?"

"Actually, my dear, there are two that were just put on the market. One's right around the corner here, a tad small and would need a bit of work, but overall quite charming. There was also another one that opened up in the magical shopping centre in the middle of London. That one's a bit more upscale and posh, and it's also quite large, but it's a bit out of the way and is also a smidge out of your price range. I would suggest that we take a look at both of them though. You can let me know what you like and don't like and I can get a better idea for what would be the ideal spot for you three."

"Thank you so much Mr. Diggles. You're such an angel for helping us with this. What would we do without you?" I thanked him, standing up.

"It's only my job, hon. No worries, I love that I can help a young group like you make your dream come true." He smiled fondly at me and gave me a piece of paper with a date and time on it. "Here, dear. Come by at that time right here and we'll take a look. Don't forget to bring your adorable friends, I'll need their say as well. And perhaps I'll bring the baby!"

"Thanks so much! See you then, Mr. Diggles."

I stuffed the time into my pocket and left his office with a spring in my step. Perhaps one of those shops would be just what we would be looking for.

Now, I had time to waste. What to do? Aha. Perfect.

I wandered to the very back of the town and found the store I was looking for. Lady Lora's Lovely Lingerie. It didn't escape my notice that almost all the stores here had alliteration used in their titles. I opened the door and stepped in, rolling my eyes at the obnoxious tinkle that announced a customer was there.

A store lady walked over to me and asked if I needed help, to which I said no thanks, and I meandered to the back. I twirled a rack of skimpy costumes in front of me and noted the sizes. L, M, XL, S… XS, finally. Sometimes I really hated being so tiny. Most people thought I was lucky, and girls often sneered and told me they wished they had my body. But I only had this body because I hardly ate anything except sweets and sugary things, which would probably catch up to me in the end, and it was a pain in the butt to go clothing shopping.

Oh well, whatcha gunna do?

I looked through the small section of things in the extra small rack. Sexy boxer, Dorothy from Wizard and the Oz, pirate wench, sailor, sexy maid, Grim Reaper, vampires, devil… the list went on in all the other racks. In the tiny selection I had to choose from, however, entailed the sexy sailor, sexy schoolgirl, sexy leprechaun, sexy Egyptian princess, sexy French maid, and a sexy pirate bartender. Hm…

I spent a while contemplating my choices. Sexy sailor was a blue which made my eyes stand out brilliantly, but I couldn't really make a connection to sailor and my life. Sexy schoolgirl was a no because I was basically one of those every day (I laughed in my head at my own joke) and sexy leprechaun just didn't really strike me as anything special. Egyptian princess would be hard to pull off, even with my metamorphmagus abilities because I just didn't feel like an Egyptian beauty. I was far too pale and European. I could maybe do the French maid. There were a few variations and one of them looked like it'd perfectly accent my curves, but it seemed a little two generic for my liking. A pirate bartender was also very generic, and Fred said he might be going as a pirate so it might look like we matched, and I did _not_ want to draw any attention to our lack of relationship- or very, very prominent, behind-the-shed relationship.

In the end, I decided on the sexy sailor. It looked adorable and sexy, and the blue truly did look stunning against my skin. Afterwards, I grabbed my selection and made my way over to the lingerie.

I knew Fred and I were going to move faster soon, were going to take the leap into more dangerous waters. And I wanted to be prepared when that happened. I didn't want to be caught off guard in my granny panties, after all.

I ran a hand down the lacy and silky pieces, selecting a few here and there. I grabbed a pair of silky, bright purple cheeksters with a blue stripe on either side of my hip and a lace, deep red thong with black bows at the hips. I continued to search and picked out a few more pairs and then made my way to the front of the store, paid, and went to meet up with the others. It was about time they were finished.

I walked to Zonko's, knowing that's where they would end up going. I walked inside to get out from the cold, and found the three of them huddled in the corner trying to warm each other up.

"Hey guys. Time to split?" I smiled, slinging my arms around each twin's neck.

"Sure. See you later guys." Fred grabbed my waist and pulled me out the door.

The next few hours were spent traipsing around the village until we were summoned back to the castle, sleepily trudging up to the common room to fall asleep by the fire. Ah, it was good to be back in the swing of things.


	17. Your Knife, My Back

**Hello my lovelies! This is a pretty heavy part, and I hope you enjoy all the drama going on!**

**Keep tuned for the next installment, there's sure to be even more of this!**

**I dedicate this part to my best friend Christian, who helped me come up with this plot line, is sort of my beta, and is going to be going through a very difficult time soon. I love you Chrish and I hope you enjoy the drama!**

**Ps- To see a teaser of the next part, please review!**

**Pps- To see Blayne's costume, go to .com/cgi/profile?id=44507.**

_It is the ninth of October and the trees are starting to go barren. _

That's what I was thinking when Hermione caught up with me on the path. I was making my way back from Herbology- I had had to make up a project during my study hall- and muttering to myself when she called my name excitedly. I looked up and she rushed towards me.

"We're having our first meeting tonight! We'll meet up around eight on the third floor across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Tell George and Fred!" she called behind her as she hurried farther along. I shook my head at her antics and made my way inside.

* * *

At eight that night, the twins, Lee, and I made our way up to the third floor. With the loss of the Murauder's Map a few years ago, we had to be increasingly wary of teachers around, and this was no exception. The four of us stealthily made it and found, to our great surprise, a row of our fellow students passing through a door. We followed them into a cement room that looked like a Dark Arts classroom. I wheeled around twice, staring at everything, before plopping myself down on a cushion next to Ginny.

"What is this place?" I asked, staring at the shelves of books on defense. Harry started to speak not soon after, and Cho piped in, of course.

"It's bizarre. We once hid from Filch in here, remember, guys? But it was just a broom cupboard then…" Fred remarked in a befuddled voice.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" I asked, touching the ground beneath me to reassure myself that it wasn't going to crumble beneath me in two seconds. Ginny filled me in.

"It's called the Room of Requirement. You walk past that wall out there," she pointed her thumb over her shoulder at where we had come in, "three times while muttering what you really want or need in your head. On the third pass, the room you really need will appear. Simple really."

My head was spinning with the implications of such a room. A place where Fred and I could be alone for hours on end, where anything we needed or wanted would appear, where we could go comfortably and nobody would know. My thoughts whirled as I mindlessly raised my hand during the vote for Harry to be our leader. I glanced up at Fred through my eyelashes, still imagining, and letting my thoughts turn to fantasies, and he stared down at me with dark, speculative eyes. I shuddered, knowing he was thinking the same thing I was.

There was talk of what we should name ourselves, but finally the others settled on Dumbledore's Army after Ginny came up with it. It had a nice ring to it, I thought. We decided to call it the D.A. for short. Soon we were all up and ready to practice Expelliarmus with a partner. George and Fred paired up and I paired with Peyton, the Gryffindor girl in my year that I was sort of friends with.

We practiced for a while and Harry came around to see us. Fred and George, I could see out of the corner of my eye, were making Zacharias's wand jump out of his hand without his knowledge and I laughed at their antics. I was doing pretty well; I had only missed twice. Peyton was a great match for me- she was doing better by only one miss.

Harry nodded as he passed, fixing my stance a bit, and then left. His little adjustment had me doing better than ever, and I didn't miss one of the shots I fired after that. I committed the stance to memory. Too soon for my liking, he blew the whistle, announcing that we had better hurry back or risk getting detentions.

I grabbed the boys and raced back upstairs with them all after we decided to meet next Wednesday.

* * *

Each of us got a gold coin from Hermione that would tell us when the next meeting was. From then on, I attended each and every meeting with the twins, refusing to miss even one, and was learning a lot. I was so grateful to Harry.

The month of October flew by. Soon, it was time for the Halloween Feast.

"Ginny, hurry your skinny arse up and get out of that bathroom!" I cried, peaking around the corner of the fourth year dormitories, where we were all camped out and getting ready for the traditional Halloween party in the common rooms. The seventh years actually set up for the party and only fourth years and older were allowed to come. Third years and younger had to go to bed but knew that in the years to come, they too could join the boisterous party going on below them.

"Okay, okay, let me just adjust this damn corset thing…" she mumbled, trailing off as she came out of the bathroom.

She was going for the cute devil, wearing a red leather corset and black leather miniskirt, calf-high leather boots, and a cute pair of devil horns. I beckoned her over, quickly applying a thick layer of red lipstick, heavy eyeliner and mascara, detailing her gorgeous cheekbones in a bright pink blush, and giving her a tint of black eyeshadow.

"Damn girl, you sexayyy!" I cried, standing back to admire my handiwork. She had curled her hair slightly so it fell to her boobs in soft cascades of bright orangey red. She looked amazing.

I grasped Hermione and her by the shoulders and stood in front of the full-sized mirror, smirking. There was no way each and every one of us wouldn't get some ass tonight.

Hermione was being a little more innocent about her look. Of course, she was going classic school-girl, but a lot more tame. She had on her pleated school skirt, which I shortened with a flick of my wand, a pair of my black patent leather pumps (of which she, surprisingly, did not wobble and almost fall over often in), a white button down, which I had to unbutton to just above her cleavage, and one of my black skinny ties. Her hair was in two bushy pigtails and her makeup was simple and innocent, accenting her features with light colors. She even wore a pair of fake glasses to complete the look, though she was grumbled about the ensemble the entire time I was dressing her up.

I, however, was convinced to make this sailor-girl outfit amazing. I wasn't wearing a bra and I had bought some lacy blue underwear to go underneath the sexy sailor costume. I wore white thigh-highs and blue pumps with a little red bow on them. On my neck was a gorgeous black anchor necklace, and my lips were bright red, my eyes a smoky blue. I had metamorphasized my hair into a curly deep red side-pony tail and tipped the outfit off with a sexy sailor hat. It was complete!

I giggled with the three of them and we made our way down the stairs, falling over each other at our plans for the night. We had persuaded Hermione to try to be a little flirtier with some of the boys around. She had been complaining about being lonely recently and we were getting fed up with her complaining about her relationship status. Ginny was going to try to get her boyfriend, a Ravenclaw 6th year named Michael Corner (whom she was sneaking into our "party" that night, of which Hermione did not know about) to the broom closet, something she was getting fed up with as well. As far as they knew, my plans were to get some seventh year to feel me up. But really? Well I was going to slowly and torturously make Fred go crazy.

We made our way to the bottom of the stairs. When we stepped into the common room, the music hit us. It was booming, the Weird Sisters shrieking. And we were the only ones that knew because of the silencing charm. Booyah.

It was dark, but different colored lights sliced through the darkness in various places. People were already grinding on the dancefloor. I gave each girl one last, encouraging hug and wandered through the crowd to find the twins. Hopefully, I'd find a certain twin first.

"Blayne!" a voice called out through the darkness. I looked over and found the two boys lounging against the wall by the drink table, George holding his own glass of something and Fred holding two plastic cups.

"Hey guys! Wicked job tonight," I screamed at them over the music, admiring the scene around me as I took the drink from Fred. I took a long swig, feeling the Firewhiskey burn down my throat. "Ahh, it's been too long since I had that."

"Damn, Blayne, you look smashing tonight," George commented, pushing his shoulder off the wall and pushing me back. He looked up and down my outfit a few times and I giggled.

"Like it? I happen to love your cowboy costumes." Both of them were identical, wearing the same outfit. They wore a cowboy hat, of course, chaps, blue jeans, a white button down shirt, a red bandana around their neck, a gun holster (which they comically slid their wands into) and spur boots.

"Why thank you ma'am," Fred drawled in his sexiest Southern accent, making _my_ southern parts quiver. "Aren't you just cute as a toe sack full of puppies?"

"Hey Fred, she's as purty as a speckled pup under a red wagon in a daisy pasture!" Both of them grinned at me and I shook my head, rolling my eyes and wrapping my arms around their waists.

"So, who's opposed to getting drunk and grindin' on the dance floor?" I called out.

"Not me!" they replied in unison. We each downed our drinks and refilled quickly. I took a sip of mine and set it down next to theirs, grabbing their hands and pulling them out onto the dance floor.

We quickly got into the rhythm of the song and the beat. I shook my hips and raised my hands in the air, rocking my body back and forth to the music. It was dark in our spot on the floor. Fred came up behind me and placed his hands on my waist, pulling me back into him roughly. I bit my lip and gyrated my hips back onto his, dancing with him to the beat that flowed up through my feet and through my fingertips.

"Baby, from the first second I saw you in that dress, I needed to have you. Let's get out of here," he whispered gruffly in my ear. I shivered, nodding silently, and took his hand, quietly slipping through the darkness.

* * *

**George's Point of View**

"YOU SEXIST PIG! WE'RE _THROUGH_!"

A loud noise sounded through the darkness. I looked around frantically for the location of the commotion. I thought the female voice had sounded like Ginny…

I finally located the scene. There was a blue light over the teenage pair. Ginny had a furious look on her face, her hand poised next to Michael Corner's face (don't ask me how he got into our common room, the Ravenclaw smartass). He was standing above her, his face bearing a small red handprint. She pulled away and angrily burst through the crowd, going to a corner and pulling her arms over her legs, dropping her face onto her knees.

I felt the fury well up in my body first, quickly followed by concern for my baby sister. I stormed my way over to her, knowing Fred and Blayne would be following right after me.

"Gin, what the hell happened?" I burst out. She warily pulled her head up from her knees.

"He was just a dick. He got all pissy at me for being on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I can't stand him. Plus, he bit his nails. God I couldn't **stand** it anymore! I kind of had a sneaking suspicion he had a thing for Alicia, and well, I caught them a few days ago with their faces _this_ far away and it was obvious they were just about the kiss. I shrugged it off though, because, well, they didn't, right? But how could I have forgotten about something as important as that? If he was willing to cheat on me, he obviously didn't care that much for me." She let out a heavy sigh, dropping her head back down and staring up at me with her big doe eyes.

"That prick. I'm going to show him a thing or two about how you treat a Weasley girl! Where the hell is Fred?" I growled, balling my fists up and shooting Ginny one last caring look. "I'll come right back after I teach that boy a lesson. Why don't you go sit in the chair and try to fall asleep? You look exhausted, sweetie."

"Maybe I will. But you honestly don't have to do anything to Michael. I slapped him, and hard; I think that taught him a big enough lesson. I'm a big girl now, Georgie. I can take care of myself." She smiled softly.

"I know. But what are big brothers here for? Now where'd that useless twin of mine go off to?"

I made my way through the crowds, trying to find my two best friends. They had to be together, because the last time I saw them we were all dancing in the same vicinity. Maybe they had gone off after one of them had a brilliant idea for a prank. I could just imagine them sitting in our dormitory upstairs and developing a great idea. It made me smile at how I could always rely on them. Merlin's beard, they were the best people in the universe. I wonder what they had come up with this time!

I shoved that thought out of my head, making my way upstairs to find them. They had to be in our dormitory. And I had to get Fred to help me pummel Corner to death.

I reached the stairs and pushed open the door, stepping into the room.

"Fre-" I broke off, my eyes going wide and my heart dropping into my stomach.

"W-what's going on?" I stuttered, staring wide-eyed in the door at the scene before me. Fred and Blayne were on his bed, her leg wrapped around his waist and her arm around his neck, keeping his lips molded to hers. His hand was on her stomach, under her shirt, and I couldn't see what their bottom halves were doing.

Fred had leapt off of her when he heard me call out his name, jumping to the side of the bed.

My eyes knew what they were seeing, but the rest of my body just wasn't understanding. What were they doing? Why were they on the bed like that?

And yet, I did know. They were snogging. They were betraying me. They were leaving me in the dark as they frolicked in the light, forgetting me while they had their good time.

"George, it's not what you think," Fred told me in a desperate tone of voice.

"What is it then?

Fred looked at Blayne, his mind scrambling for a response. Blayne shot Fred a quick look and then looked towards me, moving from her seat on the bed and reaching out towards me helplessly.

They didn't have an answer. Time stood still, all of our breathing heavy. The room was alive with tension and the air was so thick I felt myself suffocating. They couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation for what they had been doing. Or maybe it was that they just couldn't lie to me anymore.

I felt the anger steadily build. What did they think, that they could hide this from me forever? How long had they been lying to me? Did they think I couldn't handle it? That I couldn't deal with my best friends getting together and leaving me in the dust? Did they think I wouldn't be able to stand being the third wheel? Or did they just not care about me? Did they think I was such a little part of their lives that it didn't matter if I knew or not?

"How long did you think you could keep this from me? How long did you think I would stay stupid and ignorant? Newsflash! I'm not that stupid! I help you come up with all those brilliant plans! You don't do this alone! I'm a part of this too! Did you not care? Well guess what? I CARE!" I screamed, the anger and hurt welling up inside of me. I felt so betrayed.

"I thought I could trust you two! You're all I have; you're all I care about. I trusted you with my life. I loved you two. I thought our friendship, our twin bonds, would prevent you from ever doing something like this to me. I've given up SO MUCH FOR YOU TWO! And what do you do to repay me? You go behind my back, you snog each other senseless, you leave me in the dust?" I saw Blayne wince and Fred's face crumple into pain, and I relished that they were feeling a small part of my pain.

"So that's where you've been going every night is it? To FUCK EACH OTHER, not to _study Charms_! You lied to me, you betrayed me. You stabbed me in the back and you don't even CARE!" I screamed, I shouted, I raged, and by this time I was so far gone that I pulled out my wand and pointed it at the two of them. Blayne had tears streaming down her face now and Fred stepped back when my wand was pulled. "Well guess what? I care. I can't believe my own twin would do this to me! I thought we were bonded Fred, I thought I meant something to you! But I guess some slut means more to you then your own twin, your own brother!"

"How dare you call her a slut!" Fred screamed, drawing his own wand and advancing on me. I howled in rage and Blayne let out a loud whimper, tugging on Fred's shirt and raising a shaky hand towards me.

"No, George, please. You have to understand, just calm down. We'll tell you everything, I promise. I love you, I trust you. You're my best friend George…"

"You're BEST FRIEND? HA! If that's how you treat your best friends, I'm glad I got out now! Who knows what you'd do if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named tried to kill you! You'd probably do exactly what Wormtail did, you filthy coward. You bitch, how could I have ever been so close to you? How could I have _trusted_ you?" I pointed my wand at her face. She was making unintelligible noises now, shaking and pleading.

"No, George you don't understand. You have to see-"

"I'VE SEEN PLENTLY THANK YOU!"

"DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE AT HER!" Fred screamed from the corner, pointing his wand at my chest. I felt the rage grow, watching as he defended _her_ instead of caring about me.

"I'll do whatever the bloody hell I want! You chose that bitch over me, that slut who's probably going to leave you in a few weeks for someone better, and you'll have lost me too! I'll never trust you again. I HATE YOU!" I screamed. I yelled out _Confringo_, just missing Fred and blowing up a chair next to him.

"Stop it George!" Blayne screamed, jumping off the bed and walking towards me, arm outstretched.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!" I bellowed, "_Petrificus Totalus_!" Blayne seized up and stood rigid, unable to move. Fred yelled in rage and pointed his wand at me, shouting "_De__nsaugeo"_. I felt my teeth grow and growled, shouting "_E__xpelliarmus_". I missed and Fred gnashed his teeth together, shouting "_En__gorgio_" at my legs. My left leg blew up and I wobbled, off kilter. I shouted "_Expulso_" and the ground beneath Blayne blew up, causing Fred to shout and run at her, picking her up before she fell through the floor. I glared at the two of them.

"Have a nice life, Fredrick Weasley. I hope that slut and you have a long, wonderful life with your slut babies and shitty jobs. Goodbye."

I fled through the door, running down the stairs and out the door. The music was still loud and booming, and nobody paid me any attention as I fled through the portrait. I ran up to the third floor, suddenly feeling the energy drain out from my body and my arms fall to my sides. I looked around me, realizing I was in front of the Room of Requirement. I paced three times, quickly walking through and collapsing on the bed.

I curled up in a ball and let the tears come, feeling my world collapse. Everything I had ever believed seemed a lie, and my stomach ached as I realized I had just lost my best friends, my brother, and my confidants. I was alone, and I always would be.

**O.O**

**and the plot thickens...**

**DUN DUN DUUUUUUN!**


	18. Lovers Love, Liars Lie

**hello all! hope you like this little update, it's a bit dramatic. i don't really have anything to say other than read, update, and tell me what you think!**

**previews for all who comment!**

**love you! :D**

**Blayne's Point of View**

"George, wait!" Fred called after his brother, staring after him as he fled through the door.

"Fred, he's not coming back," I whispered, still unable to move from the body-binding curse George had put on me. "Can you please unbind me?"

Fred muttered something and pointed his wand at my waist, and suddenly I could move again. I was cradled against his chest, but he wasn't holding me. His mind was elsewhere, calling to his twin. "Fred, he's gone."

"He's not. He can't be. He just doesn't understand. I'll go to him and explain," Fred nodded, convincing himself. He rolled me gently to the floor and got up to leave after undoing the curses his brother had sent at him.

"No Fred. Don't go after him. He needs to be alone. He'll come around, but for now he needs his space." I sat on the floor, crossing my legs and watching Fred.

"He needs me to be there. Neither one of us has ever had this confusion over the other before. We've always been inseparable. He needs me to be there with him. He's confused, and I need to help."

Fred walked to the door and twisted the handle. I locked the door quietly with my wand and a whispered word.

Fred turned on me angrily. "Unlock the door."

"No."

"Now, Blayne. This isn't funny." He tugged on the door handle.

"No shit this isn't funny, Fred. You need to give George time. He needs to understand this on his own. In a few days you can talk to him, but right now, time is the only thing that will soothe his pain. I know that's hard but you have to do it, baby," I said soothingly, standing up and walking to him.

I stepped to envelop him in a hug, but he pushed me away. I almost fell to the floor with the force of his push, and I stared at him in shock.

"No, you don't understand! George needs me! I will not let you stand in my way! He thinks I chose you over him, Blayne. He thinks we've stabbed him in the back. I'm not going to let you make him go through this alone!" he growled, trying _alohamora_ on the lock. It didn't budge.

"Blayne, I swear to God if you don't open this door right now-"

"You'll what? What will you do Fred? Hit me?" I got in his face.

"I know how your feeling. George is just as much a brother to me as he is to you. Don't think for five seconds that you're the only one in pain here, Fred Weasley," I told him in a low voice. I pushed my finger against his chest for emphasis.

"You're making this more about you than it is about George. You're being selfish, because you want to feel better about yourself. You don't realize that your guilt would make him even more upset. I can guarantee you that you would only make things worse if you tried to help him, tried to end your guilty feelings."

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about! You think you're in on our connection, you think you're just as much a best friend to him as I am, but you're not! George and I have a bond that you don't share, so stop pretending you do! George is MY brother. You can't believe what we share because you don't share it! Stop thinking you're more important than you are. You will always be an outsider to our connection, Blayne, so just SHUT UP!" he screamed at me.

I fell back, tears welling up in my eyes. I had always known I was the outsider to their relationship, the third wheel to their perfect pair of wheels. I just kept ignoring it, hoping they didn't see me as a nuisance. And for the most part, they had always included me and always acted like I was a part of their group. But it was so obvious I wasn't, now that Fred said it like that.

"At least I don't go around my siblings back! I had never lied to Nymphadora about something like this until you persuaded me. You're a lying, conniving son of a bitch, Fred Weasley. You think you're so high and mighty, but guess what? You just stabbed your own twin brother in the back repeatedly the past few months we've been together. So don't you pretend you're the saint here! Because news flash! You're NOT!" I screamed back, the humiliation of having my own boyfriend throw my insecurities in my face too much to handle.

"Well guess what _sweetheart_? It takes TWO to TANGO! You were as much a part of this as I was!" he shouted, flailing his arms around.

"But I wasn't the one who came up with it! It would be one thing if I was the one who suggested lying to my best friend. But you were the one who came up with the BRILLIANT idea to lie to your TWIN BROTHER! No wonder he feels betrayed! What if he had gone and snogged me behind your back? For MONTHS, no less? Don't pretend you're feeling fine about what you did, because I know inside your so fucking pissed at yourself for doing it!"

"You're the one who went along with it! Instead of telling me I was wrong, that I was being a dick, you were as much an asshole as I was and followed me! So shut your mouth right now, Andromache Blayne Tonks. You don't have the right to tell me I was wrong when you were just as much at fault, you backstabbing bitch!"

"Stop calling me names, you dick! I'm your fucking GIRLFRIEND! You don't get to call me that! You're such a fucking asshole, you know that?"

"BITCH."

"FUCKER!"

"WHORE!"

"WANKER!"

"SLUT!"

"SON OF A BITCH!"

"HOE!"

"DOUCHEBAG!"

He picked up a lamp off the side table of someones bed and threw it against the wall in anger. I backed away from the wall, shielding my face against the blast as he started to scream.

"You know what, maybe if you weren't such a fucking whore, I wouldn't have wanted to keep our snogging a secret! I would have wanted the world to know we were together if you weren't such a fucking slut, you bitch. You disgust me!" he screamed in my face.

I fell back, holding my stomach. Tears streamed down my face and my head throbbed.

"That was low, Fred. Even for you," I whispered brokenly.

"Really? Because here I had thought I had reached an all-time low when I started slagging around with you!" he bellowed, getting in my face again.

"Go away. I can't stand you. What did I ever see in you? All you are is a big fucking bully. You use women and then when they get too much or fuck up your life, you throw them away. I knew that, I knew your reputation! And what did I do? I got mad at ANGELINA for being used, not YOU for using HER!

I can't believe I fell for your stupid act! I thought when you showed me attention, when you met me in the Astronomy Tower and you kissed me and made me think you were the most special person in the world, I thought you were amazing. But I was wrong Fred. I was so, so wrong. And I paid for it with my best friend.

I've lost George, my best friend. And I've lost you, my other best friend. But maybe I never even had you. Maybe your friendship was just a trick too.

You tricked me into seeing you for this perfect man, this amazing human being, when it was all a part of your stupid ACT! You pulled me in with all your romanticism, but you knew that's what I would fall for, didn't you? You knew I was a romantic at heart, so you played on that! You used all your tricks, you made me think it was too good to be true. And guess what? IT _WAS_ TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!

I hate you. I hate you so much it hurts. Get out of my sight. I never want to see you again. You're a liar, a player, a conniving son of a bitch, and I HATE YOU. Don't you ever come near me again, Fredrick Weasley."

He stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him. I crumpled to the floor, holding my stomach in my hands and hiccupping with the tears.

My stomach felt like it was splitting in two and my head throbbed, pumping in time with my stuttering heartbeat. I rested my overheated face against the wood floor, my breathing coming in pants. Why was it so hard to breathe all of a sudden?

I was shaking like I was freezing but I felt like I was on fire. My chest was being ripped open, like it was being clawed at by an invisible werewolf. I imagined this was what it felt like to receive the dementor's kiss. My entire body wracked with the pain of knowing I was alone, that my two best friends had deserted me.

Alone.

Eventually, the world went black and I drifted off into a fitful sleep. I don't know how long I laid there before I was moved, but when I woke up, I was in my own bed with the sheets thrown over me haphazardously.

* * *

_I'm bored._

I sat in History of Magic and scratched my quill against my parchment absentmindedly. Professor Binns was going on about some historical figure who invented some historical potion, but I couldn't muster up the energy to be enthusiastic about what he was saying. Everything seemed so uninteresting to me this week.

I doodled little bubbles which eventually meshed together to be one large blob of bubbles, making a pretty cool pattern. My mind wandered as the professor-ghost's voice turned to low humming in the back of my mind.

This week had sucked. On Thursday, I lost my two best friends and my lover. On Friday, I got a detention for a late homework from Snape and served it later that night; I scratched dirt off the floor of the girls' lavatories for two hours with my fingernails. I also got a C on a Defense Against the Dark Arts essay and a B- on a Herbology lab.

On Saturday, Fred, George, and Harry got banned from Quidditch during the only match I didn't go to of my entire six years at Hogwarts. On Sunday, I twisted my ankle visiting Hagrid, because he had come back from his mysterious trip the day before.

Monday was another terrible day of classes, and Tuesday was a repeat of the day before, only I had to deal with a Slytherin/Gryffindor double period Potions. And on Wednesday, Cormac McClaggen tried to feel me up while I laid my head on his shoulder and recounted said horrible week.

Today was Thursday. It had been exactly a week since that disastrous Halloween Eve. Talk about a great week, huh?

My mind wandered to the empty feeling. I had felt so lonely lately, even when I was surrounded by people. I don't think I would have survived the week if it hadn't been for Cormac and Peyton.

Peyton was the one who brought me from the 7th year boys' dormitories up to our own. She forced me to spill what had happened later the next day, from start to finish and including the secret snogging sessions with Fred. After I got up and started breaking things at the end of my tale, she calmed me down and made me see reason. In the end, she became my saving grace and my best friend in this confusing time, comforting me and becoming my partner in crime.

During Potions last Friday afternoon, Cormac McClaggen noticed I was not my usual self. Later, he would tell me that he had noticed because he had secretly been watching me, hoping to talk to me when I was not glued to the redheaded nuisances. He had given me the hint I needed to complete my potion and get a top grade- or as good as Snape would give a Gryffindor- and from then on, we had been close. I even confided my story to him on Wednesday night, during which, as stated before, he tried to get _closer_ to me, if you know what I mean. I politely told him that I was not looking for that quite yet, and if he was only friends with me in hopes of a good shag, he shouldn't talk to me again. He outright refused and apologized profusely, and I was confident the incident would not happen again.

The bell jolted me from my doodles. I sighed, packing up my parchment and grabbing my books.

"So Blayne, how'd those bubbles treat ya'?" Cormac joked, jogging up to meet me as I walked out the door.

"Oh sod off, you know as well as I do that Binns is boring as bloomin' hell, you bugger. If you keep that up, I'll just go toss out this bubble art of you as Keeper then," I commented offhandedly, going to scrunch up the drawing. He made a loud squeak not unlike a mouse and shot his arm out to grab the work.

"Blimey, that's wicked! Cheers, Blayne!" He smiled and wrapped his arm around my neck. I grinned up at him.

"Thanks Cor. It's not much, I was just bored," I commented, walking to the Gryffindor common rooms with him. We had a short break and then I had Care of Magical Creatures with Peyton.

"Blast-ended skrewts." The portrait swung open and the two of us entered, going over to the fire. An enthusiastic hand started waving erratically.

"Hiya Blayne, Cormac!" Peyton grinned from her cozy chair in front of the blazing fire.

"All right?" I asked, nodding to her and smiling in response. She nodded, but her expression quickly melted into one of annoyance.

"Would be loads better if Umbridge hadn't assigned this bloody essay. It's taking so sodding long!"

"Oh don't I know it. I didn't finish until my first break this morning, and I'd been working on it all last night as well!" I nodded in understanding. Peyton frowned and scratched furiously on her parchment.

"Well, I haven't even started it," Cormac declared proudly. I shook my head.

"You're going to flunk out, you bum."

"Ehh they wouldn't dare expel me. My parents mean too much to the school funds."

"Sodding bugger…"I muttered, pulling out a piece of parchment and my Charms book.

We sat there for a while quietly, each working on our own homework, until a loud exclamation burst our peaceful bubble.

"Come on first-years, come one, come all! Try out our new line of Punching Telescopes! Guaranteed to make anybody slap-silly!" George called loudly to the room. I rolled my eyes at their antics.

"Step right up! Get them before your friends do! Be the first of your mates to knock out the competition, and we mean _literally_!" Fred laughed. First-years converged around the two, including a few older kids.

"Looks like Fred and George made up quick," Peyton commented gloomily, looking upon the scene with disgust.

"Always blame the girl, won't they, those two?" Cormac piped in while glowering at the offending wizards.

"Oh come off it. I'm glad they made up. At least they have each other. Anyways, now they'll flunk out of school, what without me reminding them to do their work." I weakly smiled and turned back to my work. I could feel the heat of my friends' gazes on me but I ignored them.

I was still pissed at Fred. I hadn't done anything wrong, and it was certainly not fair of him to blame me for it all. He needed a scapegoat, and I just happened to be the closest one. But hell, I wasn't going to take it lying down.

And yeah, I was a bit disappointed in George. I get that he was upset about being lied to, but if he had taken his brother back that quick, why hadn't he come looking for me so _we_ could be friends again?

I guess what Fred had said was true.

I clearly didn't matter that much to either of them.

**don't forget to read, review, and alert! thanks for reading :D**


	19. Patching It Up

**If someone would be amazing and make me some screencaps of Lights in her music videos, I would love you forever. My computer is acting up and I'd like to make some lovely banners and things but I can't without shots. So if you would be so kind… :D I kind of need a smiling one, a dark one, and some fun ones. Thanks a bunch!**

**Aaanywho, I hope you like this part! It's much more happy than the past ones. Any ideas or comments or anything? If you review, I'll send you a little teaser!**

"Hey Pey, do you remember the name of that band we heard on the radio yesterday? I can't for the life of me remember." I sat in my bed quietly flipping through the catalogue of clothes and accessory items from Hot Tropic, the wizarding world's take on the Muggle store Hot Topic.

"Um… Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls?" she offered. I nodded enthusiastically and flashed a thankful smile to her four-poster.

"Cheers, hon. Anything good in this month's mag?" I asked, nodding to her catalogue. She shrugged.

"Not really. I think Madam Malkin's is going downhill. All these dress robes are outdated. You wouldn't catch me dead in that hideous thing. Look, she looks like she's eighty!" she giggled, turning the booklet around towards me. I laughed at the picture her perfectly manicured finger tapped against.

I agreed. "That's because she is eighty, love. Madam Malkin's is definitely gearing her clothes more towards the elder wizarding community."

I sighed, trailing off. I looked back at my book and flopped over onto my stomach, tilting my head into my hand and flipping the page. I found a shirt with the band name I was looking for with a CD attached to it and circled it with my red inked quill.

I flipped the page and stared dejectedly at the article of clothing staring up at me. It was a black tutu miniskirt with a gold detailing intertwined throughout, the word _sexy_ in blood-red colouring imbedded in the black. I immediately thought of how I'd like to tease Fred by wearing that one day and had to mentally slap myself. Right. Fred and I had broken up.

I was constantly doing that. I had to stop. It hurt too much.

"Oh, stop thinking about how much you love him and start thinking about how much he hurt you!" Peyton shouted loudly, jolting me from my thoughts.

"I'm sorry! I can't help it!" I cried, frowning and flipping the page with an angry jerk of my hand.

"Well just stop. He's a git and he doesn't deserve to be in your life."

"Yeah, you're right." I tilted my head. "It's too quiet in here." I flicked my wand and the music turned on, Catchlove belting out the lyrics to This Will Never Work. I started to nod along to the music, humming and mumbling the words.

I let myself get caught up in the moment, relaxing and being at peace for the first time in a long week.

* * *

"Ugh, I'm stuffed," Cormac grumbled, pushing his plate away. I rolled my eyes.

"You should be. You at a whole cow almost." I took a last spoonful of my dinner and pushed it away as well.

"Time to go?" Peyton asked, looking up from her book. I nodded, standing. Most everyone else was starting to leave the Great Hall as well, filing out of the room and on their way up to their common rooms.

We fought through the crowds, battling arms and legs to make our way out the door. I sighed in relief when we cleared the group and turned back at them to angrily glare, noting that most of them were Seventh years. _Bloody gits; they think they're so much better than us_.

It was cold out in the hallways, the mid-November air surrounding us. I tightened my arms around my waist and felt the cold air ghost over my bare neck. I really had to make it upstairs quickly so I could finish my DADA essay. I quickly took up the chairs we had previously been occupying, by the fire, and pulled our books in our lap.

Wait, where was my DADA book? Oh bloody hell…

Ugh, bugger all. That's right, I brought it to the last DA meeting to use as a reference for some of the stuff we would be tested on for the N.E.W.T.s.

"Oh blast it. I forgot my Defense Against the Dark Arts book in the Room of Requirement, where we practice DA! I'll be back," I shouted, running out of the common room and up the stairs two at a time. I didn't want to be caught out of bed right before we were to be in for curfew- the last thing I wanted was more words etched into my hand by Umbridge.

In my haste to get upstairs to retrieve my book and get back downstairs to finish the last bits of my homework, I neglected to watch where I was going; when I made it up the stairs and walked in front of where I knew the passage was, I promptly walked into a solid body.

"Oh sorry!" I hastened to apologize until I looked up, the rest of the words dying in my throat. A flash of ginger hair and a whip of air and he was gone. I looked, shocked, around me and bit my lip, sighing dejectedly and letting my eyes slowly fill up with tears. _Fred_.

"Blayne?" a voice called tentatively. I looked up, hopeful that he had changed his mind and wanted to talk to me, but I knew in the back of my mind that this wasn't his voice, that it couldn't be him.

I almost thought it was at first. But your mind will do funny things to your perception of things when you want something as bad as I wanted my old life back. No, the tall, masculine, unsure ginger standing in front of me and shuffling his feet was not Fred, but was almost as good. George.

"_George_," I muttered, the word slipping off my tongue almost on a sigh. It had been too long.

"Hey."

"Hey." I looked at him with hope in my eyes, wishing he would fix this mess and we could go back to being the happy three-some we had been for all those years. Knowing it was almost impossible, I still let myself hope, even though a small part of my brain was shouting I'd regret it later when I was crushed.

"What… what's up?" he asked softly, slowly leaning towards me without realizing it.

"Not much. I was just, you know…" I waved my hand at the wall where the door should be. He gave me a confused look.

"What do you need in there?" he asked.

"Oh, I forgot my Defense book in there last meeting." I bit my lip, already sick of this mundane small talk.

"Right."

There was a long pause and then we both started talking at the same time accidently.

"How are y-"

"Well I better-"

There was a confused silence in which I bit my lip harder, willing him to continue his thought, and then he waved his hand.

"You go."

"No, you go," I argued.

"Do you always have to argue?" He angrily threw his hands up in the air. "Fine. How have you been?"

"Oh. I've been good. A little lonely, but… good." I looked at my feet uncertainly, feeling his gaze boring a hole into my forehead. Bollocks. I hadn't meant to tell him how lonely I was really feeling.

"Ah. Yeah, it's been pretty lonely on our end too, you know… without you and all," he stumbled. I looked up, feeling the hope bloom in my chest. I tried to squander it but I couldn't, the excitement of everything overcoming the fear of being hurt again.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We can hardly figure out what our next joke is going to be, let alone try to execute it." He let out a heavy sigh. "And Fred hasn't been the same since…." he trailed off, not knowing the word for what had happened.

"Well he was the one who blew it out of proportion," I growled, the words sparking an angry fire inside me.

"I never got him to tell me the story, so I don't know what happened. He's very closed-mouthed about some things, you know how he is."

"Oh yes, do I know how he is." I felt myself sinking back into the memories, laughing at the jokes he made once upon a time and remembering when I used to shove his shoulder but inside find him adorable. I shook my head, coming back to the twin in front of me.

"Blayne, can we talk about what happened?" George asked, reaching out a hand a few feet. I hastily took it in mine, nodding.

"I would like that very much, George." He smiled softly, and I grasped his hand in mine, curling my fingers around his and intertwining them. I walked up to him until I was right underneath him, then quickly stepped to the side so I was next to him. I tugged him forwards, walking from one end of the hall to the other with George right beside me.

_I need a place where George and I can talk alone, where he feels like he can tell me anything and everything, where anything is possible. I need a place where friendships can bloom._

On the third pass, a door appeared. I looked up smiling at my forgotten friend and we entered the room together, George squeezing my hand as we passed over the threshold.

The Room of Requirement was no longer the dark, cement room we used for the DA practices. Replacing the damp, slightly frightening room was an exact replica of the twins' room at the Burrow. I felt my eyes start to tear up as I saw the cauldron in the center of the room, the very first, old cauldron we had used to create our first love potion, the one I wanted to use on my preschool crush.

"George, look," I muttered, pointing. He shook his head and walked towards his bed.

"So, _friend_, how long had this been going on for and when were you two planning on telling me about it?" George did not try to hide the angry, malicious tone his voice had taken. I felt the sting of his remark hit me, closing my eyes briefly against the pain the words caused me.

"George, you have to understand. Please, sit." I waved my hand towards his bed, standing myself. I knew I would start to pace, and I didn't particularly want to sit down on Fred's bed, not with all the memories that were centred there.

He looked at me cautiously and sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning forward and rubbing his legs anxiously. "Why don't you help me understand then, Blayne." The angry bite to his tone had lessened.

"George, I didn't want to… you have to know. God, I don't even know where to start. I… I hated lying to you. All that time, you have got to see… I _hated_ going behind your back. But it was the only way I could think of making whatever Fred and I had work. And I really wanted to keep what we had."

"Really? You didn't think you could have just, I don't know, _told me_?" George bit out. I cringed.

"We could have, but do you really think this wouldn't have happened when we did? You still would have felt betrayed, angry, and like a third wheel. There was no good situation. We were simply delaying what we thought was the inevitable."

"Who says? You don't know how I would have reacted because you didn't tell me. Instead, I had to find out that my best friend and my twin brother were shagging each other behind my back for months by seeing them together!" he accused, his eyes hardening.

"First off, we never shagged." I could see he was taken aback. "I did not shag your brother and probably never will now, unfortunately." He gave me a look. "Look, I'm sorry I was really attracted to your twin, George. I'm sorry that he made me feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, I'm sorry he made me laugh my arse off even when I felt like the world was crashing down, and I'm sorry I felt the strongest pull towards him than anyone else in my life. I'm sorry, but you don't pick who you fall in love with. It just happens!" I exclaimed, pacing back and forth now and using crazy hand gestures, my voice lifting and falling.

"Wait, what did you just say?" He was looking up at me with wide eyes, watching me pace as he took in my words.

"Yes, I was almost in love with your brother, George. What else do you want me to say? I've lied to you too much to lie now. So yeah, George, I was falling arse over head for your twin brother. What more do you want from me?" I cried, stopping directly in front of him and watching him with bleary eyes.

"I want you to tell me why you think he's more important than I am."

I couldn't even look at him anymore. "He's not more important than you, that's the whole point! I love you as my best friend. I almost loved Fred as my boyfriend. I loved you both, just in different ways. And before you start going on about how romantic love is more important than friendly love, I'm going to tell you right now that both are of equal importance; friends may even be more important. Friends are for _life_," I emphasized, staring pointedly at the redheaded twin on the bed in front of me, "And boyfriends may only be for a little while. Whether you like it or not, the piece of parchment was right. You cannot get rid of me, George. I am your best friend, and I will remain so until I die. We grew up together; we formed a bond stronger than anything anybody else could build. You can't throw something like that away. I won't let you."

"You say that friends are the most important things, but you clearly chose a lover over a friend when you chose to go behind your friends back for a few romps in the hay with a lover. Your actions speak louder than words, Blayne."

"Oh sod off, George. We all make mistakes. I'm going to admit that lying to you was a mistake, a huge, fantastic mistake, and I take it back, okay? Please forgive me. I'm begging here, and I don't know what else to do. I may not get your brother back, but please, don't let me lose you too. George, you're my best friend. Please, don't let our stupidity take that away."

I pleaded with both my eyes and my words, taking his hands in mine and kneeling on the floor in front of him. He looked torn, his face wavering between yes and no. I could practically see the gears in his head working, taking in what I had said.

"I know I overreacted. I'll think about what you said." He looked down at me with an unidentifiable expression.

"Oh thank you George. That's all I need!" I hugged him zealously and kissed his cheek.

"You seem… really smitten with Fred." That caught me off guard. What did that have to do with anything?

"Yeah… I am." He pulled our hands over to his side and I sat down next to him, facing him.

"So why are you giving up on him?"

"What do you mean? You want me to actually go talk to him after… after… what he said to me?" I bit my lip, feeling it quiver. He looked worried.

"What exactly _did_ he say?"

I quickly recounted the events that had taken after George had fled the scene.

"Well yeah I was angry, but I didn't want you two to break it off over me! I just wanted to feel like I mattered. I'm so used to being outcast by my family and people in the school that you two doing that really hurt. It's like you found my Achilles' heel and deliberately stuck an arrow through it."

"Wow, Georgie boy, who knew you knew so much about mythology?" I half-smiled, lightening the mood a bit. He returned the awkward smile.

"You really like him Blayne. I can see it in your eyes when you talk about him. And I do love you, and I do love Fred. I want you two to be together. You need to tell him how you feel, sweetie." He squeezed my hands tightly and kissed my nose. I hung my head.

"But, I just… I can't. He was so… so awful…"

"Yeah, and I'll talk to him about that. No matter how angry he gets, he has no right to resort to that. Especially with you." Another nose-kiss. I smiled earnestly now.

"I just wish… the timing had been better," George finished. I nodded.

"Yeah, me too."

"What do you want most in the world right now, love?"

"I just… I just want to kiss him. I know it's the wrong time, the wrong place, but I don't care." I felt my eyes swim with tears again at the too-honest confession.

"Then go kiss him."

"I can't George!"

"Either you tell him how you feel, or I will."

"Don't peer pressure me!"

"I'm allowed to; it's payback for your deceiving."

"You really think that this makes us even? You're going to have to peer pressure me into a lot of shit to get us to be even again, sweetie," I smiled, leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Maybe. Do this for me, and I'll call it even." He tilted his head onto the top of mine, his cheek resting on my hair.

"It isn't even for you though! It's for me, and your brother!"

"But I love both of you. So if you do it for you two then it's almost like doing it for me."

"Oh bollocks. Stop being so sappy; you're goin' 'ta make me cry." He chuckled at my words and pulled my close, giving me a side-hug.

"Alright. Well find Fred, will ya, and get rid of all this bad blood between us. We need to get back to being best buds again. The whole Cormac-Peyton-you thing just wasn't doing it for me."

"Wait, why did you care about Cromac and Pey?" I turned to him as he was dusting his hands off, clapping them together. He stood and walked towards the door.

"Because they replaced Fred and I. Jealousy is a powerful thing, Blayne." He winked. "Don't forget to find Fred. I'll be thinking of ways that you two can make it up to me while you ravish each other senseless." And then he was gone.

I sighed, grabbed my book, and walked out the door. A flash of red swirled past me and I stopped, shocked at the impeccable timing.

I didn't have time to think about what I was going to say. I didn't have time to do anything except reciprocate.

**tell me what you think ;) **


	20. Making Up

Lips descended, covering my mouth with determined, passionate kisses. I let out an involuntary moan at the familiarity of the scene and my hands moved up to automatically intertwine with his hair.

I instinctively knew the identity of the man holding me close to him. The flash of red was almost an automatic giveaway. And the fact that I had felt the body pressing up against me a million times before triggered my involuntary reaction. I knew who it was simply because of the familiarity and intensity of the situation. Each of us knew how to kiss, caress, and stroke each other to evoke the strongest reaction out of the other. We instinctively knew exactly what to do to make the other go crazy. It could only be one person.

"_Fred_." The word passed through my lips on a sigh as I forced our lips tighter, our bodies closer. Two large hands cupped my bottom and pressed my lower half fixed against his.

My feet were walked backwards by his and I was pressed against the hard, stone wall of the castle within seconds. The hands moved from my buttocks to my hips, smoothing over them and wandering up my sides until they curved around to cradle my breast with reverence.

"Ugghhh," he groaned, tearing his mouth from mine and kissing down the side of my face to my neck. He licked and suckled on the sensitive skin until I was crying out, wrapping my legs around his waist.

I arched my head away from him to give him more room to work and felt a sharp jerk. I instantly knew there would be a physical reminder of our tryst in the morning.

No words passed between us, just movement.

We nipped, licked, pulled, and sucked at every inch of skin we could get our hands on and let our hands roam freely. His hands gripped onto my boobs and harshly massaged them in time with his thrusts.

My breathing had turned to panting and I could feel his racing heartbeat beneath my mouth as I licked up the column of his neck.

It was only when his hands started to wander underneath my shirt that I pulled back. "Requirement," I panted.

He grunted in frustration and quickly walked back and forth in front of the wall, suctioning his mouth to mine once again as he held me to him with his hands underneath me for support.

A door appeared and he nearly ran inside, pressing me against the wall on the inside. I was too concerned with getting his shirt off to be bothered with what the room looked like at present. I figured I'd see it later.

I ran my hands up the back of his shirt, feeling his strong Beater muscles flex under my touch. I 'hmm'ed in appreciation and slowly ran my hands along the hard wall of his back while his mouth dipped down to my collarbone and licked gently around it.

A girl can only handle so much, and after a few seconds of this I got frustrated with the lack of contact. I tilted my head back to lean away from his mouth but he followed me, keeping his ministrations going. I tugged on his shirt to try to get the message across but he didn't respond. "Fred," I mumbled, frustrated. He groaned and pulled away.

"What?" His voice had a whiny edge to it, but as soon as I tugged off his shirt and threw it across the room, he shut up. I thrust with my hips and he took my cue this time, walking backwards until the back of his knees hit something. He toppled over with me on top of him; instead of landing on the bed with a thump, he cushioned my fall with his body. I rolled off of him and onto a plushy bed.

"How convenient." He smirked before ducking his head down to kiss the little spot behind my ear that had me arching up into his mouth.

I cried out, "Wait!" and he pulled back with another frustrated groan, dropping his head on my shoulder. "It's my turn." I urged him onto his back and crawled on top of him, grinning like the Cheshire Cat and leaning over him, my hair falling down around us. I contained a laugh at the colour of my hair; it had turned a bright pink in response to the attraction I was feeling.

I quickly worked with what I had recently uncovered. My hands roamed over his abs as my eyes took in the sights, admiring his figure. The hard muscle was covered by a smooth layer of pale skin, dusted with freckles here and there.

A light ginger coating of hair ran between his nipples, two dark pink dots amongst the pale white, and ran down the center of his chest, getting thicker and disappearing under his pants. I quickly stopped my mind from thinking about what lay beyond the low-slung jeans he was wearing and resumed admiring the gorgeous man before me.

His hip bones jutted out from his waist and there was a deep imprinted _v_ shape leading from each side of his waist to point almost directly at the prominent bulge between his legs, as if an arrow shouting "Look at me, look at me!".

I bit my lip against the pulsing between my legs, alerting me to the attraction I felt for Fred. I dipped my head down, and licked down his chest, slowly going farther down.

(**I have made an outtake that goes here that goes into the x rated stuff that some of you might not want to read. It's going to be posted under my stories soon and I'll let you know what the name is (but it'll probably have a summary that tells you that it's the outtake from chapter 20). If anybody wants to make a version of this part, I would be so interested and flattered. Feel free to write an outtake yourself- that would probably be the coolest thing that's ever happened to me hahaha!**)

* * *

"Wow," I sighed. I rested my head on Fred's shoulder, slung my leg over his hip, and traced light patterns on his bare chest. He let out a low chuckle that vibrated my head.

"Wow is right. Now I know what they mean when they say makeup sex is the best."

"Well we didn't actually have sex," I pointed out.

"Yeah, well okay what do you want me to say? Makeup handjobs are the best? It just… doesn't have the same ring to it."

"I suppose. What… what exactly do you mean by makeup? Is that it; everything's dandy and we're perfectly fine now?" I asked dubiously.

"Well we're going to need to talk about everything before we can put it behind us, but I think I've discovered how hard it is to be away from you. I can't stand it; you're like my kryptonite." He kissed the top of my head and I found myself giggling.

"Did you just make a Superman reference?"

"Yes, why?" he replied. His voice sounded a little defensive.

"You're such a nerd," I laughed.

"So are you, Miss Bookworm," was his retort. I shook my head.

"Books are far less nerdy than comics. Everyone knows that, Freddie. Just look at Belle. She was a bookworm and ended up falling in love with the Beast and living happily ever after. But the Hulk is all alone and nobody likes him." I swirled my finger in an _s_ shape and then started to make hearts on his stomach, feeling the muscles clench as I tickled a particularly sensitive patch of skin.

"Stop that, Blayne!" he admonished.

"Freddie's ticklisshhh!" I sang, tickling him on purpose this time. He started laughed, his chuckles slowly escalating to high-pitched giggles of torture. "You squirm so much!"

"St-stop!" He squirmed away from me and tried to swat my hands away but I kept at it, basking in his laughter. "Please! Blayyyyne!" he whined.

"Never!"

"E-evil." He ducked his head towards me to catch my lips between his, effectively stopping my tickling. I melted into the kiss and he pulled back after a few seconds, a triumphant gleam in his eyes. "Ha. I win."

"Like you need anything else to add to your ego," I commented, rolling my eyes. I rested back on the pillows, closing my eyes. I finally felt peaceful for the first time in a long time.

"You know, I knew it was a mistake the moment it was over," Fred said in a conversational tone, like it was nothing. My eyes shot open and I lifted my head up, staring at him.

"What?"

"I knew it was a mistake- yelling at you, I mean. All those things I said… they were all lies. Every single word I uttered that night was purely a fabrication of my anger. And I knew I was wrong, and I hated myself for it, but I couldn't bear to go back and tell you I was sorry. My arrogance wouldn't let me. I knew you were upset, I knew you probably hated me, but I still didn't go back and plead for your forgiveness. _Why_? Why had I been so _stupid_, so idiotic, so **crazy**? You're the best thing that ever happened to me, and I treated you like you were shit. I don't have a good explanation. The only thing I can say is that I was so consumed by my anger, my worry, my self-loathing, and my confusion that I wasn't thinking straight. And that's no excuse, but it's the best I have. I am so sorry. I _hate_ myself for doing this to you. That's why I've been avoiding you. Because I just could _not_ stand to see the betrayal in your eyes. I couldn't stomach the hatred I felt for myself when I remembered what I had said. And now I am regretful of that as well; of how I treated you this past week. I had **no** right to and I-"

"Okay, I think it's time to cut you off." I took his hands in mine. I was sitting in front of him and he was fervently using his hands to explain how he felt, staring into my eyes and trying to convey the passionate hatred he felt for himself. "You don't need to hate yourself. I get that you said those things in the heat of the moment, and I understand that you said them without thinking. Let's get one thing straight right now. If you _ever_ say anything even close to any of the things you said to me again, you can guarantee that I will hex your arse to Istanbul and back again. I promise you that there is no bloody way in any circle of Hell that I will ever take you back again. This is your only second chance."

"Of course. _I'm so sorry_," he muttered brokenly, staring miserably down at his lap. I shook my head and cupped his cheek in my hand, lifting it up.

"Shut up. Let me get this off my chest. The only reason I was doing what I did was to help George. I hope you realize now that you should _trust me._ I know both of you like the back of my hand, and I knew how he was feeling just then. Hell, I was practically feeling it _myself_! He felt betrayed, and he thought you had picked your secret girlfriend over him."

"Lust. If my life were being written by Shakespeare, that would be my tragic flaw," Fred shook his head and sighed. I found myself laughing at the absurdity of his comment in this situation.

"No, Fred. Your tragic flaw would be hubris. Or maybe wrath. Your pride gets in the way of admitting when you're wrong. And wrath confuses you and makes you see red, so much so that you don't realize what you're saying until you've said it."

"I guess. Yeah."

"I don't think I've got anoth]]]\\r fight left in me. I care about you too much to do this again."

"Me too."

I sighed and lay back down. I let out a huge yawn and looked at a small clock in the corner of the room. One in the morning.

"I really care about you Fred."

I closed my eyes and rolled onto my side, curling into a ball.

A body enclosed mine from the back and two arms wrapped around my waist.

"That's more than I could ever ask for."

* * *

I grumbled. The bright sunlight hit my face through a window I didn't know existed and I rolled over to hide my face, hoping to get some more sleep. My head collided with a chest and pain bloomed throughout my brain. I cursed quietly and curled closer to the source of my discomfort. I hated mornings.

A low chuckle sounded by my ear. I refused to open my tired eyes to retort and instead squeezed them tighter. "Good morning sweetheart," he whispered softly in my ear. I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"'Ssssnot mornungg."

"Baby, its noon."

"'iar."

"I would never lie to you honey."

"Mooowe liesss."

"Okay maybe the last one was but…"

"If I 'asn't so tiwed, I'd hiwt 'ooo for tat."

"I know."

"Fie more minoots Daddy."

"Okay love. Five more minutes."

"Zzzzzzzzzzzzz."

"Blayne, you're snoring."

"Am nooot!"

"Are too."

"'iar."

"You are quite fond of that word this morning."

"Yurrp."

"Wake uuuuuuuuuuuuup my pumpkin poodin'!" He started to kiss my hair and tickle my face with feather light smooches.

"Fine. But only because your teasing." I turned my face to his and unexpectedly caught his lips with mine. I felt him smile into the kiss and I smiled back. What a great way to wake up. "I could get used to this."

"Me too. Too bad we can't sleep together every night." Fred smirked and held me tighter to him. The blankets slipped off my shoulders and I shivered, the cold air of the Room of Requirement hitting me like a brick. My teeth chattered and I snuggled closer to my personal heater, tucking my head under his chin.

"I hate winter."

"What's not to love? Snow, snowball fights, Christmas, snuggling, and hot chocolate. What could be better?" I felt Fred smile and tighten his arms around my waist. I felt myself smile involuntarily along with him, imagining all those things together. I imagined having a snowball fight with Fred while it was snowing on Christmas afternoon and then going in the Burrow afterwards to snuggle in front of the fire with hot cocoa. He was right; what could be better?

"Yeah, you make a valid argument. But it's just so _cold_!" I complained. He chuckled.

"Silly cold-blooded metamorphmagi."

"Nice plural form of metamorphmagus. Who would have guessed that Fred Weasley knew correct grammar?" I giggled as he turned my face up to his to stick his tongue out at me and smile cheekily.

"I'm a man of many hidden talents, Blayne Tonks." He winked and I bit my lip, leaning up to kiss him fiercely. The blankets fell farther down as I threw myself onto him and deepened the kiss. I shivered into his touch when I felt the cold air ghost over my pale skin. I wrapped my legs around his thighs and pressed our chests together, licking his lips and plunging my tongue into his mouth. His arms slid up my bare back and over my hips and sides and back down again, coming to rest on my hips and keep me settled on top of him. It was then that I remembered that we hadn't put our clothes back on before we fell asleep last night. I bit back a moan as I felt his strong hands encompass my barely-covered hips and experienced the coarse tickling of his chest hair against my bare stomach. Our lips moved together in sync, reenacting a tango that we had taken part in many times before. It was almost second nature to bite his bottom lip softly, the way I knew he liked it, and clutch his shoulders in my loose grip- something I knew turned him on immensely. A small part of my brain pondered the little discoveries we had made about each others' likes and dislikes over our secret meetings in the dark. The thoughts quickly fled my mind as I became consumed in Fred.

"You're perfect," he whispered, lifting his mouth from mine and kissing down my neck. I smiled and tilted my head, my heart fluttering in my chest. I knew that the heat blossoming in my stomach had nothing to do with our kissing; instead, it had everything to do with the man who was kissing me and what he said about me- _to_ me.

He was just so amazing sometimes. I could literally feel myself falling for him. And quite honestly, I was scared to fucking death to fall in love with Fred Weasley.

**go check out the outtake and be sure to review, favorite, and alert!**


	21. Back in the Swing of Things

**hey guys! here's another update. in case you haven't been reading these, PLEASE READ IT'S VERY IMPORTANT! go back and check the other chapters, they have headings that are quite important and that i would like you to know. if you could help me out with anything, message or comment please!**

**this will be my last update before Christmas, but i'll continue writing! i hope you all have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! **

**(ps- tell me what you think Blayne should do in the future. should she leave with the twins, or should she finish up her year? will she come back to finish her seventh year of school? please HELP!)**

It was fucking freezing.

I huddled closer into my thick, winter robes and ran up the stairs. Of course, on one of the coldest days of the year Fred and George had gone with the Quidditch team to help strategize, even though they had been thrown off the team. They hated being out of the loop. Therefore, I had made plans with Peyton to study for the upcoming History of Magic exam. I was supposed to meet her at six after dinner but I had gone up to the library to look for a book to help us study. Professor Binns voice just bored me; I could never concentrate enough to take notes… or pay attention at all, for that matter.

I finally strode through the portrait hole after a first year, plopping down by the fire in my favorite plushy chair and greeted Peyton. "Heya! Blah, is it just me or is it bloody freezing in this castle?"

"Nope, it's not just you. Blimey, is it cold in here. I've just started to thaw out!" She threw her long mane of chocolate hair over her shoulder and looked up at me for the first time. She was sitting across the chair, her legs on one arm and her back against the other, and basking in the glow of the fire.

I pulled out my books and began to pour over them. Merlin, was there a _lot_ of magical history!

I had been reading the same sentence for two minutes when Peyton's frustrated growl pulled me from my "reading". "What is it?" I asked, turning my head up.

"I can't concentrate. History is just so bloomin' boring!"

"Unfortunately, with Binns teaching style, it's a surprise nobody has fallen into a coma yet." I sighed and tried to go back to my reading.

"Blaaaayne can we do something?" Peyton whined like a little child. I rolled my eyes.

"We're studying."

"Yeah but not really. You've been rereading that word for like, a year!" She folded her arms over her chest.

"I would have moved on if you weren't distracting me."

"Pleaaaaaaaaaaase? I wanna hear the latest gossip between your boys and you!"

I put my book down with a huff. "Okay, we'll take a gossip break but then we have to go back to studying." Peyton clapped her hands together excitedly. I laughed at her and she leaned in close to hear what I was about to say. "Well… what do you want to know?"

"Why aren't you friends with Cormac anymore? How did George and you become best buds again in like, a second? And what's going on with Fred**?** Have you said you love him yet? Is George all 'third-wheeley' and stuff? What are you doing for Christmas? Have you gotten Fred a gift yet? Are you two gunna go any further than you are? How's the whole joke-shop thing going? Are you gunna move in with the twins? Is George really okay with Fred and you dating? Do your parents know? Do _his_ parents know? I think they should know, I mean, the entire school knows. Speaking of, did any teachers say anything yet? _Umbridge_? I mean how could they _not_ notice, it's been all over school. Good thing the whole secret affair thing hasn't come out yet. And the way you too can't stop touching each other, or be apart for like two seconds, and constantly feel the need to hug each other… I mean how much more obvious can you _be_?"

She stopped and gasped for breath, her eyes huge with questions. I rolled my eyes- she looked like an overeager puppy.

"Phew. Okay let me try to remember your questions. As for George and I… well we've been really close since we were like, two days old. It's natural for us to forgive and forget. I remember this one time, he told my mom and dad that I- oh wait, story for another day. Anyways, George, Fred, and I have been inseparable practically since we were born and because of that, we sort of just fall back into our roles when all the drama blows over.

Um Cormac just doesn't talk to me anymore. I didn't think that my relationship status would affect him, but apparently it does. I don't know what's up with him, but he shuns me like I'm the plague and he goes out of his way to glare at me. I don't get it, but it's getting really old really quick.

Fred and I are trying to go back to our normal relationship. It's sort of hard because of the shit we went through, but we're trying our hardest and I know we're going to pull through on the other side soon. He still gets annoying sometimes, but I know I do too and we work past that easily. As for and I being so touchy, well… losing him made me realize how important he was. Don't know what you have till it's gone and all that crap. It's like I'm realizing he's there and I can't stop touching him because I have to reassure myself that he's not going anywhere. But Pey, I'm scared. We haven't said we love each other yet, but it's only a matter of time. I mean, I can practically feel myself falling arse over head in love with him. I haven't loved a boy. Ever. I mean sure, yeah, I've made out with a few and gotten around Hogwarts a little, but I never even liked any of them a whole lot, let alone loved them. But Pey, I'm really into Fred. Every time I look at him, I get these chills all over my body and I smile so big it hurts and my tummy does flip flops and it feels like I've been charmed and I can hardly feel my knees. It feels like I'm a bowl of Jell-o."

"That's good!"

"That's… good?"

"Yes! Don't you see? You're tots falling for him, girl! Yay! This calls for a happy dance!" And then she was getting up and turning around in a circle and flailing her arms around and shaking her ass. I couldn't help it; I laughed until I fell off the couch.

"Oof. Sit down, sit down Peyton! People are staring! What if someone heard you? I don't even know if I'm in love with him yet and here you are announcing it to the world with your dancing!" I tugged her shirt and forced her down onto her own seat. "Can I continue?" She nodded vigorously.

"George is learning not to be third-wheeley. It's sort of hard because of all the cutesy stuff Fred and I have been doing for the past few days- like I said, it's hard to let go of someone when you've just gotten them again- but other than that, I know in no time we'll be three pees in a pod again. He's been really good about our relationship, you know besides the whole making-us-do-shit-to-make-our-lies-up-to-him thing. But that's to be expected. I also don't doubt a few jokes sent our way over the next few weeks. It _is_ George after all.

No, I have no idea what I'm doing for Christmas but I know that the boys and I will talk about it soon. It's only a few weeks away now. Oh gosh, his mum and dad have no idea we're dating. Speaking of, neither do mine. I haven't even told Tonks. Oh bugger, she's going to be in a right fit when she hears. More drama to deal with! I hope Molly and Arthur will be okay with it. I mean I had thought they liked me but now that I'm dating their _son_…. And Merlin's beard, you're right. I haven't gotten Fred a gift yet. Ugh, I desperately need to go shopping soon."

"I'LL COME WITH!" Peyton shouted excitedly. I 'shhh'ed her. Merlin, there were other people here!

"Okay Pey, but will you _please_ try to keep your voice down?"

"Oh. Sure. Sorry!" she exaggeratingly whispered.

"So what did you want to know about next? I've forgotten with all your rambling."

"Um… future? What are you going to do when Fred and George leave next year? What about the joke shop? Will you move in after your school's over?"

"Peyton, seriously? We've only officially been dating for like, two weeks! It's way too early to be thinking about our future!" I hit her arm. She just grinned.

"Come on, you know you wanna think about it."

I sighed. "Okay, yeah… maybe a wee bit." Peyton gave me a look and I relented. "Okay yeah, maybe a lot. When Fred and George leave, I'm going to go on with my life and finish up my last year of school. I'll have you, and the golden trio, and Ginny and everyone else. And my books. I have to study and get good N.E.W.T.s to work at the Ministry. But yes, it would be kind of perfect to move in with Fred and George when they get their joke shop off the ground. We're trying to perfect merchandise this year so that this summer they can get everything running and then next school year, they'll be all ready."

"Sounds… perfect. You sound like you've got it all figured out, sister. Someone's been thinking about the future more than they'd like to admit," she teased. I bit my lip self-consciously in response and her eyes lit up as if remembering something else. "Blayne, are Fred and you gunna like... shag anytime soon?"

"What? Oh. Well, I mean… we've only just gotten to third base. We have to explore our recent base a bit more before going to the next step. But… eventually. I mean I'd like to. Who wouldn't? I mean, Merlin, he's gorgeous." My eyes glazed over as I thought about all of his hard manliness and Peyton had to shake me to focus.

"Okay B, I get it! He's hot. With all that sexual tension, you'd think someone would notice. Hell, you think a teacher would have murdered one of you by now." Peyton flipped her hair over her shoulder and settled back into her seat, crossing her legs Indian style.

"Oh, they have. Umbridge almost incarnates me with her eyes when we walk past. It's one of those things that you just have to ignore. I mean, hell, when was the last time she got some action? No wonder she's glaring. She's probably got 30-year old cobwebs in her vagina." We laughed together and I sighed, flopping back into my chair and closing my eyes. "Bloody hell, could it be any colder in this sodden castle?"

"Probably. It _is_ the beginning of December. Generally, December is associated with cold air and snow. Oh bugger, look at the time! We've really got to finish studying, or we're doomed for the exam tomorrow!"

We shoved our faces into our books and no words passed between us until the last book had closed and the last quill had stilled.

* * *

"Hurry up George!" I whispered loudly behind me. The sound of footsteps got louder and faster and then George was beside us.

George whispered by my ear, suddenly beside me. "Okay, okay, no need to be so bossy, woman! Leave the dominatrix for the bedroom, will you?" I stuck my tongue out at George's antics and Fred tightened his arm around my waist.

"Hey, hey, hey, no need to talk about our personal mattress activities in the hallway, Georgie-boy. Have some decency!" Fred kissed my cheek and I giggled, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"Boys." I shook my head. The three of us halted when we reached the potions cabinet. Since I was the smallest, I would sneak inside through the crack in the door easily and grab the potions that we needed before sliding back out. Fred pulled me to him and kissed me quickly on the mouth.

"Be careful, love," he whispered.

"Yeah, Blayne, don't get caught. I would kiss you too, but I think that'd be rather inappropriate and I'd probably get my balls chopped off by a certain twin of mine. Jealous git. Sorry, but no matter how much I love you I am not risking my precious jewels for you." George cupped his pants with his hands protectively and I shoved his shoulder gently but Fred punched him hard.

"Damn straight you aren't touching my girl!"

"Hey, hey, _guuuuys_, there's enough Blayne to go around," I teased. Fred turned an evil glare on me and I backed up slowly, hands in front of my chest defensively. "Kidding, kidding!" Then I slipped through the door.

I grabbed a few bottles off the shelves and emptied a bit of their contents into the small plastic baggies I had brought along. A few minutes later and I was finished. I quickly stowed away the baggies and slid through the door again, joining the two redheads outside.

"Let's go, I thought I heard someone coming." George led the way out and Fred grabbed me by the waist, directing me down the hallway behind his twin.

When we were far enough away from the supposed person and the potions cabinet, we slowed our pace.

"Hey, good work kiddo," George said. He punched my arm lightly and I shrugged.

"No big deal."

"I hate putting you in danger," Fred pouted. He pulled me tightly to his side and kissed my forehead. "You're the best, sweetheart."

"God, could you two _be_ anymore disgusting?" George teased.

"We could, but I really don't think you want that."

"No, I was just kidding. Really!" George's eyes went wide and I laughed.

"No worries."

"But really, I do hate doing that. Next time, I'll do it," Fred offered.

"Very chivalrous of you, bud, but she's the smallest and most ninja-like. You wouldn't be able to pull it off," George rationalized.

"I don't like putting her in danger. What if she got a detention with Umbridge because of us? Then she'd have words carved into her skin just because we were stupid. It's too big a risk."

"Fred, come on. I'm not a baby. Just because we're dating now doesn't mean that you get to be my dad. I already have one, and one is definitely enough, believe me. I'm a big girl, and I am not going to get hurt. Just trust me," I said, squeezing his hand in mine.

He finally relented with an over-dramatic heave of his chest. "You're right, as always. Merlin, you are just so amazing, you know that Blayne?" He leaned down and quickly kissed me.

Suddenly, I flew to one side of the hallway and Fred to the other. My back hit the wall and I crumpled to the floor, hitting it hard. I groaned as my mind tried to catch up with what had just happened.

"DETENTION! My office, six o'clock," a high-pitched, too-happy voice squealed. My fist clenched. I recognized that voice. I opened my eyes blearily just as her pink arse flitted down the hall, flicking her wand and causing another couple to blow apart. I groaned, hitting my head against the wall angrily.

Bloody pink toad.

* * *

That night, we were forced to carve words into the other's skin. I had to write 'I will not be inappropriate', which in turn carved itself into Fred's hand, and Fred had to etch 'I will not be a slut' into mine. The entire time, we sat across from each other in desks just far enough away so we couldn't touch each other. I got to watch as I inflicted burning pain on my boyfriend and he had to suffer as I bit back tears from the painful stinging.

When she finally let us go and we had cleared the door, Fred crushed me to his chest and let me cry on him. I could tell I was hurting him when I cried, but I couldn't help it; I didn't do well with pain.

We were greeted with a raging George when we entered the Common Room. I bandaged Fred's hand while the two of them engaged in a shouting match about Umbridge and then bandaged my own while Fred held me and shouted at the same time. The ending result was sort of startling. The boys wanted to leave because of her. I tried to persuade them not to- I mean they only had a few more months and they would do their N.E.W.T.s and be done with it- but they wanted to make a stand. I told them that it wasn't worth losing their entire education over it, but they wouldn't listen. I really hadn't thought they were all too serious- a lot of their threats turned out to be empty.

The next weekend, we went into town to find out about some type of creature called Puffskeins. Turns out they were adorable puffs of color that were actually animals. With a little persuading, the boys decided that they would buy them to sell at the joke shop. I knew they'd end up bringing a lot of profit from young girls and that they'd bring in a new type of customer to the store.

I figured I'd buy one for Nymph for Christmas. She'd adore it.

The next week was filled with trips to various suppliers about products for the shop, classes, and Quidditch practices. One night, when the boys were practicing, I was wandering the halls and on my way to the library to study with Hermione and to maybe brainstorm some charms that the boys and I could patent and sell.

"Hey Tonks!" an angry voice growled behind me. I pulled out my wand and whipped around, planting my feet in the defensive position and ready to hex, only to find that it was just Cormac.

"Oh hey Cormac. What's up?" I asked, relaxing my position and lowering my arm.

"Expeliarmus!" he shouted. My wand flew from my hand and I looked at him in alarm.

"What are you doing?" My voice was shaky.

"I should be asking you the same question. What are you doing with him, Tonks? He's a little manwhore who left you for his bloody brother. Come on, haven't you better sense than that?" he growled. He advanced on me slowly and I backed up, not comfortable with the angry gleam in his eye.

"C-Cormac, Fred is really nice and I really like him and-"

"Shut up. He was so terrible to you. You can't seriously be calling him _nice_. He nearly blasted your head off, for Merlin's sake! He's irrational, hotheaded, and abusive. You deserve someone better than that, Blayne. Someone like me."

My back hit the wall behind me and I looked up at him startled when his chest hit mine.

"Please, Cormac, you don't know what you're talking about. We were such good friends. What happened? Please don't do this," I whimpered. I was caged, with nowhere to go.

"I wanted to be more than friends. But I was giving you your time, your space, to get over that slimy bastard. And look how you repay me! You leave me in the dust for HIM! He's not worth your time, Tonks. You need a real man. I know he doesn't get you like I do." He pushed his body into mine with force and I cried out, my shoulders digging into the stone of the castle.

"Please, get off of me," I cried. I pulled back my leg and hit him in the shin at the same time as I punched him with all I had in his shoulder. He looked down at me murderously and pushed me into the wall harder. He grabbed my arms in his and shoved them against the wall.

"Oh, don't worry my pet. I'll give it to you. You love this. You crave it. I'll give you what you need. That Weasley doesn't know how to pleasure a girl. Don't worry, Blayne. I'll fulfill your needs. I promise," he whispered. He ground his lower half into mine and I cried out, trying to gather the strength to shout for help. "Silencio." I tried to scream but no sound came out. I was terrified. He was touching me, putting his hands all over my boobs and grinding into me and I tried to cringe away but there was nowhere to go. I felt the fury well up in my chest at what he was doing; I had a _boyfriend _for Pete's sake! I pulled my knee up, ready to knee him in the balls, but he shoved his legs closer to mine, effectively pinning my entire body down. I couldn't move; I was helpless.

"You like that don't you? Only I can give you what you need, Blayne. Why didn't you see that before? Then I wouldn't have had to go this far. But since you didn't see, now I have to show you myself." He licked down the column of my neck and I whimpered, shoving against him and trying to kick. I screamed out for help but nobody came. I tried to hit him, to kick him, but he held my arms fast and didn't stop. He was too strong.

He moved so that one hand was holding onto my wrists and slid the other hand under my shirt to cup my breast in his hand roughly, pushing it and bruising me. I screamed at the top of my lungs silently and thrashed my body, trying to get away as his face got close to mine.

"Can't have you making all this noise, can we?" His lips crashed onto mine and his tongue invaded my mouth, plunging in viciously. I tried to bite it but he was too fast and I reached my knee up to try to knee him in the balls again but he anticipated it, shoving his knee between my legs. He rubbed his body up mine and I started to cry, hot tears showing my total fear and anger at my helpless situation.

One hand held onto mine and his nails were digging into my wrists; his body was roughly shoving mine into the wall, sending pain shooting up my back. His mouth was leaving bruising kisses everywhere and his hand My wrists were bruised, my breasts aching, and my arms exhausted; I knew I'd be sore for days.

His hand slid down my side and I shivered, trying to squirm away from it as it slowly crept under the waistband of my skirt. I clamped my legs together and started gasping for air, in full panicking mode now. Would he still molest me after I passed out? "Please!" I begged without words. He shook his head, watching my lips.

"So impatient, beautiful one." He took his mouth from mine and slid it down my neck and I took the opportunity to scream out for all I was worth, knowing nobody would hear me. He grinned into my neck and pulled my panties out of the way. I thrashed my head side to side and cried and screamed and begged and kicked and hit, but nothing happened. I couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't breath.

But there was still hope. Someone could come by any second and see this and stop him.

I had to hold onto that hope.

"GET OFF HER, YOU BLOODY WANKER!" Suddenly he was gone and I crumpled to the floor, sobbing and shaking.

Two arms wrapped around me and I tilted my head into a soft and feminine chest, closing my eyes. I was suddenly so exhausted. I fell asleep there, feeling safe at last.

**:( poor Blayne. comment? rate? let me know what you think should happen.**

**god i feel so ick after writing that. bloody wanker.**


	22. Our Funny Future

**Hey guys. another update! sorry it's been a while, i've been super sick and ughh. but we're back on track! _PLEASE- go to my profile and answer the poll!_**

**please review and let me know what you think. this is the aftermath... just trying to develop characters and everything. how do you think characters should be? did i do a good job? this one's super long, hope you like it!**

**this is also quite an important chapter. its quite fluffy. :D EVERYONE LOVES FLUFF!**

**ps: in the last chapter, Umbridge makes Fred carve into Blayne's hand. just wanted to let you know, because its been bothering me that its not accurate, that Umbridge makes Fred write 'i will not be promiscuous" NOT "i will not be a slut". truly, utterly sorry guys :(**

**i'm going to write a smut chapter soon. its been a while. promise. i just gotta write it and fit it in somewhere! xoxoxox thanks for reading!**

I woke up in the hospital wing.

Fred was there, along with Ginny, George, Peyton, and Hermione. I groaned and opened my eyes blearily, staring up at them. "Well… that was one hell of a night," I commented weakly. George cracked a smile but quickly snuffed it out when Fred glared at him. "What's wrong, Fred? Offended by smiles? That's not like you."

"Honey, how are you feeling?" Fred asked, squeezing my hand. It was only then that I realized he had been holding it.

"I'm okay. A little sore, but that's expected. My back is still a little raw. Will the bruises go away soon?" I asked, examining the purple marks on both wrists.

"Madam Pomfery says you need to apply this to your back every five hours." Hermione held up a little container of blue lotion. I nodded. "She applied this other one to your wrists and says that one needs to be put on every two hours." I sighed. So many creams!

"Can I ask what happened?" I questioned quietly. Ginny took my other hand in hers and Peyton brushed the hair out of my eyes.

"Of course, sweetie." Ginny began her tale, picking up with what she knew.

She had been walking on her way to the library too when she saw what was going on. She immediately grabbed her wand and bat-bogey hexed the hell out of McClaggen. After he collapsed to the floor, she had leant down and picked me up gently, supporting me on her shoulder as she helped me to walk- or, more accurately, limp- to the Hospital Wing semi-unconscious. She told Madam Pomfery what had happened and I had been immediately helped and stuffed in a bed. Madam P. gave me a bagillion potions and balms to stop the pain and let me sleep, and after she was done she sent Professor Dumbledore an owl, telling him what had happened. Ginny stayed by my side the entire time.

Fred picked up the story from there. He had been walking to the Common Room with George, Harry, Angelina, Katie, and the others when Hermione had come running into him. She explained hurriedly that she had just seen Ginny carrying me down to the Hospital Wing and didn't know what had happened.

"I'd been waiting for you in the library for a really long time- you was extremely late and I didn't know why. Finally, I got curious. You know, you aren't one to be tardy if you can help it. Anyways, I walked out the door and was greeted with a pile of McClaggen. I looked down and next to him was a pile of your books. I feared something dreadful had happened, so I ran down the stairs to try and find you, only to find that Ginny was slowly moving you through the door of the Hospital Wing. I didn't know what had happened, and I was really worried. So I ran back upstairs to try to find out what happened, only to see Fred and the others come in. The second I told him about what I had seen, he ran off," Hermione butted in.

Well, Fred said, after Hermione had told him what she had seen he had gotten worried, frightened, and royally pissed off. He knew he had to find me, but he also knew he couldn't face me when he was so angry and emotionally conflicted. He was determined to do something first. Revenge.

He ran through the castle, a man on a mission. He finally found Cormac; he was still outside the library but just getting up and shaking off his injuries. He looked pretty pissed off himself. Fred had shouted, they had dueled. A lot of name calling had taken place, apparently, as well as an enormous amount of magic. When McClaggen was reduced to a bumbling buffoon, Fred had run down to see me- not to mention he needed some bandages for his battle scars.

The rest, Peyton and George told me. George had been there when Hermione told Fred, and as a result had become sick with worry as well. He ran down to find me and ran into Peyton, and told her what was up. They immediately came to me and have been here ever since.

After Dumbledore found out, he had reportedly waited for an hour before doing anything ("Because, duh, he knew someone would want revenge on the bastard," Peyton had said, to which George replied, "try '_all _of us'?"). After Fred had beaten him up, Professor Dumbledore gathered his band of teachers and advanced up to the library in an angry-mob fashion to find a bloody and bitter boy. The students appeared to be going around him, trying not to touch him, and when someone asked if he needed help he'd just growl and tell them to go to hell. Nice bloke, he is. Professor D. and his band of angry mob-teachers picked him up, took him to Madam P. who, while I was still unconscious, bandaged him up not quite as nicely as she had me, and then took him to the Headmaster's office. There, McGonagall proceeded to lecture him within the edge of his sanity until Dumbledore stepped in and told McClaggen that the behavior he had displayed was not tolerated at Hogwarts and that he was expelled.

Shortly after, the Minister and Daddy McClaggen popped up randomly in the fire. Long story short, dear old pops fought for his son and good old Minister decided it was too much of a risk to lose one of his best supporters. The Minister forbade baby McClaggen's expulsion and needless to say, Dumbledore and the other band of teachers (minus the ever-wonderful Snape) were very displeased. After a long, not-so-polite argument, it was settled. While the traitor would stay at Hogwarts, he would be confined to his dormitory after classes and during breaks and would serve a detention every night for three hours with McGonagall. On weekends, he would be confined only to his dormitory and would have to clock in with Professor McG every two hours.

After the storytelling circle, Madam P. came out and told everyone that visiting hours were over- it was already like ten at night. Everyone kissed my cheeks and hugged me goodbye with promises of visiting early the next morning. I smiled and wished them sweet dreams, and then everyone was gone- everyone except for Fred.

"Fred, you have to go sweetheart," I reminded him. He shook his head.

"I talked to Dumbledore and to Madam Pomfrey. I don't want to leave you alone. They eventually promised me that I could stay with you until you fell asleep. I'll be right here, baby." He leant down and kissed my forehead.

"Oh. Okay, good. Thanks for being here," I whispered, squeezing his hand. He smiled and leaned over, kissing my lips silently and softly.

"I'll always be here."

I felt my heart melt a little and scooted over in the bed, offering him a side. He took it, lying down and closing the curtains around us with a flick of his wand. I curled into his chest and laid my head on his chest. He started to stroke my hair and held me to him tightly, and I felt myself drift off with questions floating in my head.

How did he always make me feel this way? Why did I feel like I was slowly melting in a puddle of goo every time we were together? Why was he always so sweet? How the hell did he always know exactly what to say and do? Why was I feeling this way? More importantly, what the bloody hell _was_ I feeling?

_Is this love?

* * *

_

They were true to their words. The next morning, I awoke to an empty bed but I was only alone for a few minutes. I got myself dressed and my cuts and bruises re-potioned and not a second later, Peyton and George showed up. I wouldn't tell either of them, because they'd both probably hex my socks off, but they looked like they were getting pretty cozy to me. We chatted for a few minutes and then Fred came in. He gave me a quick kiss on the lips and sat down on the bed next to me, holding my hand and chatting about what George and he were going to get up to that day. Hermione, Ron, and Harry showed up, quickly followed by Ginny, and the two boys had a whole host of questions to ask me about what had happened (they wanted to hear it straight from the horse's mouth) and, no surprise here, about their homework. They stuck around for a few minutes until Hermione looked at the clock and did a little Hermione-squeal. I guess that meant time for classes.

They all left with promises, except for the busy trio, that they would be back at lunchtime. Fred told me he'd be back during his first break, which was after his first class. I nodded and kissed him goodbye after making him swear that he wouldn't get into too much trouble while I was bedridden.

After everything got quiet again, Madam P. came out to check up on how I was doing. She just smiled and nodded, and when I asked when I'd be let out she replied, cryptically, with "we'll see". God, grownups were frustrating!

Dumbledore came in around ten, asking me how I was holding up. I think he secretly was worried I was like freaking out about my almost-rape. I was freakily okay with it. McClaggen was kind of a creep and let his emotions take over. I got out of it okay, didn't I? I figured that because there weren't any lasting effects and that he hadn't, after all, raped me, there was nothing to cry about. I wasn't some weak little bitch. I really was pretty pissed off with the dick, actually. I planned to go show him how I felt after I was all dandy again- which wouldn't be long now. I felt fine; I just had to wait for the physical evidence to go away.

Fred did come in during his break, along with every break after that. You'd think he was afraid I'd run away- or go bonkers. We spent the time cuddling and talking about what I'd missed in classes and Hogwarts drama, and when he had to leave for class I always made him ten minutes late by delaying him with "don't go yet" kisses.

The letters flowed in. I got about five from my mum and dad, asking me if I was okay and if they needed to come. I got two from Tonks, who was freaking out and going completely wiggy on me. I could just imagine her tripping over the mess in her bedroom when she heard about what had happened, her hair a violent shade of yellow in her worry. I even got one from the puppydog- delivered by Harry of course- asking me if he needed to knock some heads in. I really loved my family.

Therefore, the afternoon was spent between visits from friends and writing owls back and forth between family members. Mum and Daddy really wanted to come up but I told them there was no need and that I was fine, skillfully avoiding that drama. They still didn't know about Fred and me.

I was let out that night right before dinner. Fred had been in the Wing with me as soon as classes got out and walked me to the Great Hall, carrying the ointments and shit for me. I was greeted by worried housemates and had to wave them off with the good old "I'm fine, it wasn't anything". I was a little shaken up by the events, but more than that I was just angry that I had let it get that far without being able to stop it. I was able to fend for myself, dammit.

The next days were spent getting really into my books and schoolwork. I avoided the little dickface, which wasn't hard as he was only in one of my classes and had to spend the rest of his life in his dorm. The twins, Lee, and I spent a lot of time working on prank ideas and other stuff for the shop. That seemed to be their main concern as of late.

Something did change as a result of the events, though. Fred had become super protective of me from then on. He wouldn't let me go anywhere alone, and I mean _anywhere_. Not even the bathroom. It was getting so frustrating. I was slowly becoming claustrophobic, sick of his overprotective act after only a week. I decided to let it go on for a little while if it would help him get over the events. He seemed more traumatized after everything that had happened than I did.

As for me, I was bating my time until I could hit McClaggen. And hard.

* * *

On December 14, we went to Hogsmeade. I really needed to get my gifts for everyone. We went to talk to Mr. Diggles about a place for the shop first. He said he had only seen one more opening, and it wasn't what we were looking for. After a short social visit afterwards, we made our way to the shops to find Christmas gifts for everyone.

"Hey B, what are you doing for Christmas this year?" George asked, picking up a trinket. I looked at him from over the top of my overladen arms.

"I dunno, why?" With a huff, I placed the gifts on the counter and started to count out the money I would need to buy them all.

"Well, I was just wondering. I mean, it's a tradition for all of us to get together on Christmas Day and all, but I was wondering if you were gunna stay in and watch Christmas movies with Tonks like you usually do." He quickly grabbed a falling present and placed it precariously on top of the pile.

"Umm, I'm not sure." I continued to count and ignored the looks the twins were giving each other; they'd share their mental-twin-conversation with the class soon enough.

"Well… Blayne, darling dearest, apple of my eye, cupcake of my soul, Bertie to my Bots, fairest lady in the entire world, cutest metamorphmagus in all the land-"

"Get on with it Fred."

"Why don't you come over to the Burrow Christmas Eve?"

"Okay."

"Wow. That was a lot simpler than I thought it would be."

"Yes, well, not all women need wooing statements to make them compliable. Some of us are normal human witches you know."

* * *

I sighed and rolled over in bed. The wind was howling and rain was pattering down on the windows at a slant. Thunder clapped overhead and lighting flashed in the window, disrupting my sleep.

I lay in bed for a while, listening to the rain and thunder and trying to go back to bed. I thought about the DA meeting we had had that night, I thought about Fred, I thought about Christmas break coming in just a few days, I thought about all sorts of things, but nothing helped me fall back asleep. When it became evident that I wasn't going to be getting anymore shuteye, I shoved the sheets off my legs and got out of bed with a loud huff. I grabbed a book by my bed and wandered down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I stumbled at the bottom, missing a stair, and tripped down to the steady floor. With a groan, I wandered sleepily over to my chair by the fire with my eyes trained on the floor so I wouldn't trip again.

"Couldn't sleep?" a voice rumbled. I jumped and let out a yelp, whipping my head up so fast I gave myself whiplash. I groaned and massaged my neck as I stared at the back of Fred's head. I smiled and walked over to his couch, sitting down next to him.

"Nah. I thought it was supposed to snow in the winter, not rain. What are you doing?" I curled into him and he grabbed my hand.

"Just thinking." He was still staring into the fire but he turned his cheek onto the top of my head.

"That's obvious. Is it fun where you are?" I asked. I turned my face up to him and touched his cheek. "Hey. Come back to me Freddie." I started to rub my thumb back and forth over his knuckles where are hands were joined.

"Sorry. I was just thinking about the future." He smiled sadly and kissed the top of my head. I started to get worried. Why did he look so upset? What was he thinking? Surely he wasn't thinking we wouldn't be together in the future.

"And what about the future?"

"Just… well… George and I have been seriously talking about leaving. We're sick of Umbridge and it's pretty obvious that Hogwarts is quickly going down the drain. Dumbledore couldn't even expel a student for attempted rape because of social status and the Ministry's interference. We just think that soon it's going to be pointless to stay here, especially if Umbridge keeps on teaching. That's another thing; You-Know-Who is back and he's going to start killing soon. Do you really think we'll need to know how to get rid of knarls from our gardens?" He was slowly getting heated about the topic, and I brought him down with a soothing touch to his arm.

"But Fred, if you two leave now you'll never finish school. You can't take your N.E.W.T.s and you can't get a decent job and you won't be respected by wizards and-"

"Love, we're going to own our own joke shop. I really don't think we need excellent N.E.W.T. grades to get children to come buy our things," he laughed.

"But Fred, you can't just _leave_! What about Ron and Ginny and Lee and, and, and-"

"And you." He tilted my head to look at him and I felt my eyes start to swim with tears.

"You can't leave me. There's nobody else here who likes me, no one who understands me like you do. Besides, long-distance relationships never work. I'll be here all the time and you'll be at the shop and we'll only ever see each other like once a month. And I'd… I'd miss you too much, Fred. Please… don't leave." I bit my lip and scrunched up my nose to keep the tears at bay.

"I'd miss you too sweetie. But this may be the best course of action. And… well did you ever think that maybe… maybe you could come with us when we leave?"

"Fred I can't do that! You two may want to be wonderful joke shop owners who don't have N.E.W.T. grades or any idea how to take care of advanced magical problems, but I want _more_! I want to work at the Ministry after everything's settled down. I want to be able to teach my children how to take care of themselves. There's no job that would take me without N.E.W.T.s. What, did you think that I'd just work in your shop and be a housewife? I can't do that Fred. I need to be able to support myself. I can't just up and _leave_!"

"I'm sorry. I guess I just… hoped that there would be a way for both of us to get what we wanted. I never meant to insinuate that you would just be my wife and nothing more. I just want you with me. But George and I have pretty much decided that we're leaving before the N.E.W.T.s. I'm sorry baby." He kissed me softly and I felt the tears start to come, irrationally so.

"I just can't imagine Hogwarts without you. How will I survive next year? How will _we_ survive?" Even though I had told Peyton days earlier that I was going to be fine when they left, faced with the reality of it made me freak out.

"Well you'll have Peyton, and the trio, and Ginny, and Lee. And I'll see you on weekends. We can have date night every Saturday. Anyways… Blayne? We were graduating the end of this year anyways."

"Oh. You're right. I guess when you said that you're probably leaving, it just made me flip out. I wasn't planning on you two to leave so soon. After you and I got together, I tried not to think about the future. Especially with You-Know-Who at large, none of us know what is going to happen in the future. It's too uncertain to worry about, isn't it?" I rested my head on his chest, letting the tears subside. Why had I gotten all worked up about this? He was leaving next year anyways. There was no reason to act so irrationally. Maybe I was PMSing.

"Yeah. But… I don't know I just figure we'll be together. No matter what. I can't imagine life without you, Blayne." He kissed me tenderly again and I felt my heart melt into a puddle of goo. Oh my Merlin, how did he make me feel like that?

_Like what?_ I asked myself.

Like… like I'm in love.

I'm in love.

I'm in love.

I'm in love with Fred.

Oh my GOD.

I. Was. In. Love. With. Fred.

"Me neither Fred. And well… it's okay. You can leave whenever you like because… well…" I took a deep breath and stared into his gorgeous eyes, almost getting dragged in. I brought my hand to his face and bit my lip. The feelings were strong and my heart was pounding. I loved Fred Weasley. "Wherever we end up, wherever we are, I love you."

"You _what_?" he was staring at me, mouth agape. I felt my cheeks heat up and watched my long curly locks turn pink with embarrassment.

"Well, I love you. I love you Fred." He still wasn't saying anything. I felt myself start to sweat. "Fred?"

"I… um… I…"

"It's okay. I understand, I get it. You don't love me back. It's okay, I can wait. I just you know… just realized it myself. Don't worry about it." I looked away and tried to pull my hand from his, thoroughly embarrassed and wishing I had never said it.

"No wait. Wait, Blayne!" His voice grew louder as I tried to run away from him. He grabbed my waist and pulled me down hastily. I ended up sprawled across his lap, facing him and trying to hide my blushing cheeks. Merlin, why did this always have to happen to me?

"Fred let me go," I mumbled.

"No. I'll never let you go. Blayne Tonks, I love you too. I love you more than I could ever imagine. I love you so much it scares me. Merlin, I can't believe it. I'm in love. We're in love. _We love each other_!" He started to laugh and I stared at him like he was mad. Why was he laughing? My confusion didn't last long; his laughter was infectious. I found myself giggling along, my embarrassment fading.

And then all of a sudden he stopped and brought his hand up to my hair. It curled around the back of my head and brought my face slowly down to his. He stared deep into my eyes and I felt myself unravel around him. I could almost feel him reach into my heart and stare into my soul.

"I love you."

His lips crashed to mine passionately. My eyes floated shut as his lips slowly caressed mine, sliding across them in a slow dance. I wound my hands into his ginger hair and pulled myself closer to him. One of his hands found its way to my hip, tugging me closer. I just wanted to crawl inside of him and stay a while. The way he was touching me, the way he held me, the way he kissed me….

He knew everything about me. He knew how to make me crazy, and boy, I was slowly going insane. I never wanted it to stop.

I didn't know where we'd end up in the future. But it didn't matter; as long as I was with Fred, I didn't care where we were in ten years. I guess that's what love does to you.

**YAY! so, whatcha think?**

**THEY'RE IN LOVE 3 3**

**lemme know! review, message me, and DON'T FORGET TO ANSWER THE POLL! thanks kiddies xoxxxx**


	23. Crisis Before Christmas

**Chapter 22- Crisis Before Christmas**

**Hi guys. I'm so sorry for these past few months. My life has literally been a mess. I'm trying to get back on track! Please review and rate and tell me your opinions! Next chapter is long and will make up for this sadness. Thanks so much, I apologize… love you all, my lovelies!**

We fell asleep in each other's arms. I felt more safe and at peace than I had in a long time, the fire warming my skin and my boyfriend's arms encircling me. That was, until I was jostled awake by annoying and incessant shaking.

"Mr. Weasley, wake up. Wake up now!" a familiar voice called urgently. Annoyed, I opened my eyes and sat up, ready to scream my face off at whoever it was that was disturbing Fred and me.

"What-" The words died on my tongue as I stared at a disheveled McGonagall. I sat up stick straight and shook Fred. Professor McGonagall didn't even look at me. She was concerned with Fred only. What was going on? Why wasn't she screaming at me for falling asleep out here with my boyfriend when we should have been in our separate dormitories? That's why she was urgently shaking both of us, right?

"Whasa goin' on?" Fred slurred, opening his eyes slightly.

"Mr. Weasley, you need to follow me. It is of utmost importance." It was only then that I realized Ginny and George. They were worriedly standing behind our House Head. What in Merlin's name…?

"Professor, what's happening?" I asked, fully awake from all the commotion. Fred rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and looked from George to Ginny, his face twisting in confusion.

"Harry's had a, well… a nightmare. Something may have happened to Mr. Weasley. I need to take the children to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately. Go back to sleep, Miss Tonks." Fred looked at me with fear written all over his beautiful face. My heart stopped in fear of what this meant.

"Professor McGonagall, which Mr. Weasley are we talking about here? There are two in the room, one somewhere else in this castle, and three older Weasley men scattered around the globe," I reminded her, holding Fred's hand in mine. The strange things that happened to Harry had a way of coming true.

"Oh, oh, yes of course. Arthur Weasley, your father. Hurry, hurry, children. Miss Tonks, please, stay here!" I had stood up with Fred and was ready to go with them. Fred squeezed my hand tightly in his, his face white with fear and his eyes wide. I couldn't leave him now, not when something was happening to Mr. Weasley. I wouldn't be able to go to sleep, anyways.

"No, Professor. Arthur is like my second dad. I can't just sit by while something terrible might be happening to him. I need to be there for the Weasleys. Please, Professor." George's face was as white as his brother's and I took the opportunity to wrap my hand around his arm.

"Oh very well. We've already wasted enough time. Hurry, children." She flew out the portrait hole and down the stairs. I almost had to run to keep up with her. I don't remember much of the walk down, just the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. I knew I had to keep it together for the boys and Ginny. George stood beside me stoically and I clutched Fred's hand. My arm was wrapped around Ginny's shoulders as we walked to the Headmaster's office. She was shaking like a leaf.

We eventually got through the door. Ron, Harry, and Dumbledore were standing there in their nightclothes.

Ginny was instantly looking for answers. "Harry, what's going on? Professor McGonagall says you saw Dad hurt-"

"Your father has been injured in the course of his work for the Order of the Phoenix. He has been taken to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. I am sending you back to Sirius's house, which is much more convenient for the hospital than the Burrow. You will meet your mother there," Dumbledore said, addressing Ginny. She clutched my arm tightly.

"How're we going?" Fred asked, clutching my hand tightly.

"Floo powder?" I asked.

"No. Floo powder is not safe at the moment; the Network is being watched. You will be taking a Portkey." I groaned. God, I hated those things. My tummy went all funny afterwards. "We are just waiting for Phineas Nigellus to report back… I wish to be sure that the coast is clear before sending you."

A flash of green light later and a Fawkes' feather later appeared. Everyone then talked about what was going to happen and what had happened some more, and then we grabbed a hold of an old kettle and were sent flying. We landed in the living room of Grimmauld Place. My stomach was queasy, but I shoved it aside as I held Ginny and Fred together with my hands on theirs.

"What's going on? Phineas Nigellus said Arthur's been badly injured-" Sirius stated. He looked concerned, but the effect was lost when I got a whiff of his breath; it was laced with brandy. He had not shaved for a long time, it appeared, and his clothes seemed to fall off his skinny body. I mentally shook my head. I understood that Sirius was bored, but couldn't my cousin have the least bit of class?

Fred's voice was slightly accusatory and it had a bite of coldness to it. "Ask Harry." I tightened my grip on his hand and kissed his shoulder, willing him to calm down.

"Yeah, I want to hear this for myself," George agreed, his tone almost identical to Fred's. I nodded in agreement. What the hell was going on?

"Harry? Can you tell us, please?" I asked calmly. I was not charging Harry guilty until he had had his chance to explain what happened. Due process and all that jazz. Ginny was staring at the Boy Who Lived, her expression plainly confused. He started his story stumbling and sputtering, and I waited patiently until he got himself together. The more Harry delayed, the stiffer my boyfriend's body got beside me. I wished I could comfort him somehow, but I knew the best way to get him to calm down would be for him to know the story of what had happened to his father.

Harry explained that he had had a dream of Arthur being attacked. He was at the Ministry and Harry said that he had watched from the sidelines as a snake attacked the older man until he was bleeding and unconscious.

Fred was now rim-rod straight and his hands had balled up into fists, the one clutching mine almost crushing it. George had ended up on my other side and his posture was identical to his twin's. I looked over to see Ginny staring slightly accusatorily at Harry; Ron simply looked defeated.

I wrapped my arm around George's bicep and calmly, reassuringly unwrapped Fred's death grip on my hand. I smoothed out his fingers and his hand seemed to relax slightly, though the rest of him did not. George did not react to my hand on his arm.

Fred asked if Molly was there, and Sirius explained that she probably didn't even know. My cousin went on to explain that Umbridge was the real threat, and I almost scoffed. That ugly pink toad wouldn't lay a hand on my second family if I had anything to say about it. Ginny butted in and stated that we all needed to go to St. Mungo's, and that sparked a loud disagreement between Sirius and the children.

Sirius refused to let us go. Fred, George, and Ginny proceeded to scream and shout at Sirius, telling him that he was their dad and Sirius had no say in the matter. I agreed. We needed to be with Arthur, not sitting around waiting for him to die.

"We don't care about the dumb Order!" Fred had shouted.

"It's our dad dying we're talking about!" George had bellowed.

"He needs family there. He can't go through this alone," I had added quietly.

"Your father knew what he was getting into, and he won't thank you for messing things up for the Order! This is how it is- this is why you're not in the Order- you don't understand- there are things worth dying for!" Sirius shouted back. I felt my blood boil. Who was he to say why or why not we weren't in the Order? What did he know? Did he think that just because we wanted to be with Arthur while he was hurt, it meant that we wouldn't die for the Order ourselves? Sometimes that man could be so thick!

Fred's face turned red and he yanked away from me, advancing on my cousin. "Easy for you to say, stuck here! I don't see you risking your neck!" George walked away from me as well, ready to back his brother up. My eyes went wide. This was going to turn physical very soon if someone didn't stop it.

"Fred, relax. Sirius is just getting worked up because he's worried for Arthur and he thinks he knows best. You aren't helping anything with the shouting. Just calm down, sweetie." I walked closer to him but he yanked his arm out of my grasp when I tried to touch him.

"Don't touch me! You don't know what it's like! Your dad isn't _dying_ right now! This has nothing to do with you so just stay out of it. You have no idea how I feel, so don't tell me to fucking _CALM DOWN_!" Fred screamed at me. I took a step back, feeling as though I'd been slapped. That was a low blow. I mean yeah, I knew he was hurting, but he didn't have to take it out on me! I was just trying to help.

Sirius came to the rescue. "Don't take your anger out on Blayne, Fred. Come on. I know it's hard, but we've all got to act as though we don't know anything yet. We've got to stay put, at least until we hear from your mother, all right?"

I sighed and sat down on a musty couch, spent. The emotional confusion of the night had me exhausted. I would confront Fred when he had calmed down a little. Ginny sank down into a chair, looking zombie-like, and Harry and Ron sat down as well. Eventually, Fred and George came to sit down on either side of me.

"That's right, come on, let's all… let's all have a drink while we're waiting." Sirius looked towards me and I nodded, getting up thankfully. Fred had sat down about as far away from me as possible, hugging the arm of the chair. Did he always have to act like such a child? I was grateful for an excuse to get away.

"I'll grab some Butterbeer." I jumped up from my seat and ran to the kitchen. When I reached the room, I let out a huge sigh and sat down with a plop on a wooden chair. I grabbed some mugs and the Butterbeer and started to fill up seven mugs. In a bout of inspiration, I filled four glasses with a shot of Firewhiskey. In my opinion, Fred, George, and Sirius needed to chill. And I just needed something to help me take my mind off everything. It took me all of five seconds of quiet contemplation. I came to the conclusion that I would do anything in my power to help the Weasley's, and that if Mr. Weasley passed away tonight, I would take anything Fred threw at me because he needed me now more than ever. And I would be there for him.

I brought the tray up to everyone, and handed the mugs out to everybody. George and Sirius gave me faces when they tasted the Firewhiskey in their drinks, but Fred continued to ignore me. I sighed heavily and almost drowned my entire drink in one gulp. _Relax, he's just going through a tough time right now. He's merely emotionally distraught…_

Eventually, a letter came from Molly. George ripped it open fiercely and read out loud. Mr. Weasley was 'still alive'. That did not sound very promising, if you asked me.

I quickly finished off my drink and leaned my head on George's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Georgie. Just wait, he'll be fine. I know it."

"You don't know that," a rough voice came from behind me. I sat up and stared at Fred.

"I just have a sense okay? Will you stop being so grumpy? You're making everything worse," I hissed. I was sick of his attitude. He wasn't the only one hurting here. He grunted and looked away. I closed my eyes to rein in my anger and wrapped my arms around George's middle. He smiled weakly at me, and I took it as a sign that I was helping a little.

I knew I was impeding a little. Arthur wasn't my dad, as much as he felt like he was. Harry, Sirius, and I were the outsiders here, but at least the other two had a legitimate reason to be here. I was here simply because I was too stubborn to not be. I shoved the thought out of my head and focused my energy on helping George, Ginny, and Ron because my boyfriend was currently being a little bitch.

For the most part everyone kept quiet. When the mugs were empty, I went to go fill them up, but Fred wouldn't let go of his. I sighed.

"Fred, will you join me in the kitchen please?" I asked politely. He grunted and got up, trudging behind me. I took a steadying breath and made my way to the kitchen. I had to keep my temper in check if I was going to make this work. We walked into the kitchen and I grabbed the Butterbeer and Firewhiskey, setting everything down on the table. I took another deep breath and then turned around.

"What do you want?" He folded his arms across his chest as if he was blocking me out.

"I want you to grow up. Fred, I understand that you're hurting right now. You're worried, you're pissed off, you're confused, and most of all, you're down right terrified. And if there is anything I know about you, it's that you hate being scared. But I'm here to tell you that it _is_ okay to be afraid. It's what makes you strong." I walked over to him and put a comforting hand on his arm. "It's what makes you human."

"Well maybe I don't want to be bloody human," he bit out. I looked up at him and watched his face. It was formed in a hard mask, covering up what he was thinking. But I knew.

"Honey, it's okay to be afraid. I love you, and we're going to get through this together, Fred."

His mask slowly crumbled. His face fell and his body hunched in on itself. His eyes became stormy and emotional, his cheeks sullen, and his body started to tremble. "I just can't believe he's dying, Blayne. He can't die. He can't."

"Oh, baby." He started to cry, his body shaking. I wrapped myself around him, standing on tippy-toes and tightening my arms around his neck. He shoved his face into my shoulder and began to cry in earnest, his tears soaking my shirt and falling into my hair. He repeated one syllable over again: _daddy_. His arms squeezed the small of my back and held me to him as sobs wracked his strong frame. I had never seen him so venerable before.

I just held him, muttering soothing words and telling him that it was going to be alright. And this time, he didn't snap at me and tell me that I didn't know that for sure. The seconds ticked on, and I lost track of time as I clutched him close to me. Eventually, his tears stopped and his sobbing subsided. He went lax in my arms and I moved back a little. Raising a hand to his face, I cupped his cheek in my hand. He tilted his head into my palm and kissed it, and I smiled softly.

"We'll get through this. I promise. I'm here, baby. I'm here." I tilted my face up and kissed him softly. I poured all my compassion, all my worry, and all my love into the kiss, tenderly caressing his lips with mine. The kiss meant so much more than just a kiss. It was my way of telling him that I was here and that I always would be.

After we passed out the Butterbeers, some with still more shots of Firewhiskey, everyone fell into a relaxed- or as relaxed as possible- silence. Fred fell asleep shortly after he finished his drink, slopping sideways in the sofa. I was curled into him, and it didn't take me too long before I was sleeping too, tossing and turning fretfully in my sleep. It was an uncomfortable position, and I was worried about everyone else, so I woke up with a start about an hour later.

I turned around and hugged George, who was staring blankly off into space. He didn't react, but continued to stare. And that's where fate found us about an hour later when Mrs. Weasley walked in the room.

Fred's head jerked up and he stood, his face a mixture of worry and anticipation. My heart dropped into my stomach and I began to feel queasy. Mrs. Weasley smiled weakly and turned to everyone.

"He's going to be alright."

_He's going to be alright._

**Alright**.

Arthur was FINE!

My heart leaped and I turned, enveloping both Fred in a hug. He had fallen back into his chair, head in his hands, and George and Ginny had gone to hug their mother. Fred looked up at me, his eyes swimming with tears. I smiled and kissed him gleefully. It was going to be alright. Everything was okay.

The rest of the morning went by in a whirl. Harry and Sirius made breakfast as I helped Molly to a seat and made sure she was warm. She had been shaking and exhausted when she arrived. I went from family member to family member and hugged them, making sure they were alright. We talked about plans for Christmas and visiting Mr. Weasley later. After, we all had a sleepy breakfast. When we were finished, everybody retired to the bedrooms they had slept in during the summer.

Nobody objected when I took up residence next to Fred, peacefully falling asleep intertwined on the creaking twin bed.


	24. Perfect

HIIII my lovelies! another update? who's excited? :)

soooo, i'm dedicating this one to all of my WONDERFUL fans who reviewed and added me to their favorites/alerts. you guys are seriously the bomb. also, i would like to thank Neonstarz for the amazing, heartwarming review. it legit made me want to write for about four days straight, and thanks to you, i'm almost done with another part. Also, a big shout out to Midnight Ash Princessa, Bad Wolf Baybe, and fruityloops156. reviews are the most powerful stimulation ever.

i want to personally ask everyone and anyone out there that's amazing and fantabulous if they would like to make some banners for the story. it is, unfortunately, a pretty picture-less story and i would like to change that. to me, and i'm sure many of you readers, visual views on the characters helps a lot. i have the actors/actresses chosen and just need a helping hand with the actual you know, creation part. INBOX ME OR REVIEW WITH YOUR INFO AND STUFF AND I WILL GET BACK TO YOU PRONTO. I WOULD LOVE YOU FOREVERRRRRR!

without further ado, here is the next installment of Love is Our Weapon!

* * *

Later in the day, when we all woke up, we ate a quick lunch as our trunks arrived from school. I was all too happy to see my clothes. I shovelled down my lunch and dragged my trunk upstairs.

"Need some help there, love?" George commented, laughter evident in his voice. I stuck my tongue out at him and hauled the overstuffed box up the next stair. My bangs drifted into my eyes and I blew them out of my face, annoyed and trying to see the trunk I was moving. They kept floating back into my face, and with a loud squeal of annoyance, I yanked on my hair and clipped it back with a handy hairpin I had stashed in my bra.

"Here, lemme do that."George grabbed my trunk and easily lifted it, quickly carrying it into the twins' room. I rolled my eyes at him and put my hands on my hips defiantly when he set it down.

"I could have done that. Jeeze. Boys, always feeling the need to show off their manliness…." I threw open the top of my trunk and started rummaging through it.

George imitated in a terrible, high-pitched girl imitation. "Thank you George! You're the best, most handsome mate a girl could ever have!" He clapped his hands together and batted his eyelashes at me. His voice then dropped back down and he shoved his hands in his pockets, clearing his throat and puffing out his chest like a manly man. "Oh you're quite welcome Blayne. It was no problem at all! I'm glad to help my best mate in any way I can." I shoved his shoulder lightly.

"Buffoon."

"Hey!"

"You started it." I grabbed a pair of faded and distressed jeans, a brown cowl-necked sweater, a pair of purple converse, and a matching purple lace panty and bra set. I waved the underwear set in front of his face, laughing as his eyes bugged out and he backed away from me.

"GET THOSE THINGS AWAY FROM ME!" George squealed and ran out of the room. Chuckling, I reflected that George had done a better girl imitation when he _didn't_ mean to then when he _did_.

"As soon as I heard George squeal, I knew you had to be up here. Ooh, are those for me? Lovely." Fred moseyed in and grabbed the set from my hands, turning them over in his own hands. "Don't cover much, do they?"

"That's the point, honey." I snatched them out of his hands and turned around. I hooked my thumbs into my pyjama pants and slid them over my hips, letting them fall to the ground. I heard Fred suck in a breath behind me and hid my grin of satisfaction under my hair. Then I reached across my body, crisscrossing my arms at the bottom of my shirt, and lifted the garment over my head.

Heavy breathing tickled the side of my throat. I gasped quietly and two familiar hands drifted down to slowly and sensuously unclasp my bra. I tilted my head to the side, my hair falling in soft curls over my breasts, and shut my eyes in rapture. After the clasp was undone, he slid his warm hands up my back and between my backbones, up my neck and down again, and over my shoulder. I shuddered as his hand grasped the heavy weight of one boob and he ran a coarse thumb over the nipple. I pushed back into him and it was his turn to groan as my ass bumped into his groin. My hand reached back to grab onto his neck as his lips descended to my neck, and he touched them lightly to my jugular when-

"Hello Kiddies! Your detail has arrived!" a loud, energetic voice trilled beneath us. I jumped, pulling back from Fred so fast I thought I would have a heart attack. Nymphadora was here. Her loud voice had set the paintings off, and then the whole house was in an uproar. We would have no time for fooling around now.

"Ughhhh," Fred groaned. His hands came up to cover his face as he let out muffled, angry curses of frustration.

"I know exactly how you feel, baby. You should probably get dressed too; we're most likely leaving soon. And turn around so you won't be tempted. There's nothing we can do right now, and adding more fuel to the fire would just complicate things."

He did as I said and I finished dressing without anymore interruptions. I screwed my eyes up and my hair changed back to what I was born with. I didn't have the energy or the willpower to work on my looks. Besides, we were just going to visit Mr. Weasley. And Fred didn't care what I looked like.

I grabbed one of Fred's oversized sweatshirts and pulled it on. Mmmmh, it smelled just like him; not to mention, it was baby soft. I turned around to find Fred in a wifebeater, low-slung jeans, and his worn-out pair of Adidas trainers. I hummed in appreciation and knew my self-restraint wouldn't last too long. It'd been a while since we'd fooled around. I threw him one of his other sweatshirts and he sheepishly put it on. I gave him a quick kiss on the lips and then we were down the stairs.

"Hey Nymph!" I called, enthusiastically going to hug my sister. I tripped on the last stair, unfortunately, and fell into her. With our combined clumsiness, we ended up sprawled on the floor laughing hysterically. "Sorry Sis." I stood, fake-dusted myself off, and extended a hand to help her up too.

"In usual Tonks fashion. How are you, Lil' Sis?" she asked. I smiled brightly and hugged her properly.

"I'm fantastic. Well, aside from the recent turn of events. I hope Mr. Weasley is doing alright," I muttered. She smiled and patted my arm.

"He's getting through it. Don't worry. Are we ready to set out?" she asked, looking around and counting heads. Mad-Eye's deep grumble resounded throughout the hallway.

"Still missing Ginny and George."

Nymph sighed melodramatically and turned to me again, holding me at arm's length. "What _are_ you wearing, Blayne?" My blood ran cold.

Tonks didn't know about Fred and I was wearing his sweatshirt. She'd be devastated when she heard that I hadn't told her about Fred and me first thing. I didn't know how to explain it to her. I didn't particularly want to have the discussion here, now, either.

"Oh well… it's just an old sweatshirt that-"

"I know you're good mates with the twins, but have you recently become so enamored that you feel the need to wear Fred's clothes? Unless…" she stopped, staring at me with wide eyes. Her mouth was agape and her hair was slowly turning a bright green to display her displeasure and shock.

"Dora, please. Come here. I need to talk to you." I grabbed her hand and walked into the adjacent living room. I felt the Weasleys' stares on my back as I led her away. I threw an apologetic glance over my shoulder at Fred and he stared back, his expression startled and concerned.

"What's going on, Blayne?" she demanded. I sighed and ran a hand down my face.

"Fred and I are a couple." I winced, waiting for her blowup. It didn't come.

"Why didn't you tell me? How long ago did this happen? How long have you been keeping this a secret, Andromache?" She had used my first name. I could tell she was upset- she knew I hated my first name just as much as she hated hers. If the disappointed and hurt tone of voice hadn't clued me in, that certainly would have.

"There wasn't really a time to tell you. Did you really want me to tell you through owl? I was just getting used to it myself, trying to get in the swing of having a boyfriend who I was really into, and I just couldn't bring myself to tell the world yet. We only just starting dating and I didn't want to jinx it or have family meddling in our relationship. I'm so sorry Tonks." I hung my head and prayed she'd understand.

"I'm just disappointed you didn't trust me with the truth, Blayne. I thought we were closer than that."

"I love you, Nymph. You're my sister, and you mean more to me than any boy ever could. I so deeply regret what I've don't. Can I make it up to you by explaining everything from the beginning Christmas Eve when we spend the night together?" I pleaded. She nodded.

"I love you too. I'm hurt you didn't tell me, but I guess I understand. I am genuinely happy for Fred and you. You two are adorable together." She hugged me and I smiled, squeezing her tightly.

"Come on! We've got to get a move on!" Mad-Eye shouted. I linked arms with my sister and waltzed out the door and down the streets of London.

* * *

The visit with Mr. Weasley was bittersweet. It was great to see him and talk to him, but it was terribly sad to see him under such horrid circumstances. I had left the Weasley family alone after a little while and gone to visit my mum who was on duty in the Maternity Ward.

She asked me about how I was holding up after the McClaggen thing. I had almost completely forgotten about it in light of current events. I told her I was fine, and answered her questions about how Mr. Weasley and the Weasley clan were holding up. She asked especially about Fred and George because she knew I was closest to them. I narrowly escaped her getting ideas about my "new" sweatshirt by telling her I hadn't gotten any shipped from Hogwarts and had to borrow Fred's. Mum and Dad still had no idea about Fred and I. I was waiting until Christmas Eve to break the news to them.

For about the next week, we decorated the house and spent time together. And when I say together, I mean ALL together, ALL the time. No chance for Fred and me to finish what we started before we left for the hospital. Ever.

We couldn't get a second alone. We did try, though.

One time, after dinner, Fred and I had offered to clean up. We were washing dishes side-by-side (Molly insisted some things be done the Muggle way) for about ten minutes, the tension growing steadily between us, when all of a sudden soapy water splashed onto my white t-shirt. It got soaked through and revealed the black lace bra underneath. Fred stared, forgetting the plate in his hand. And then his lips were on mine.

Fred's hand came up to grasp the weight of my breast in his hand and I moaned. The kissing became more intense and soon we were tearing at each other. It had been too long.

"MY EYES! MY EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYES!" a loud squeal sounded, accompanied by the door banging. I jumped away from Fred, panting, to see George standing in the doorway with his hands covering his eyes and his face screwed up like he was in terrible pain.

Bloody asshole.

Another time, George had to help his mum with something (I didn't quite catch what the something was because I was a little preoccupied with staring at Fred's lap). Fred had jumped me the second George left, lowering me down onto his bed and tearing at my clothes. He pushed his lower half against mine and I retaliated by pushing my hips up towards him. The push and pull was a deliciously fast pace dry-humping that mimicked sex just enough to turn me on to almost the tipping point.

"Fred, Mum needs you- OH BLOODY HELL! Could you two stop the sex for like _two seconds_? Mum's JUST DOWNSTAIRS!"

I groaned, my head falling back against the mattress. I looked upside down towards the door and saw a redheaded child standing there.

"Ugh, Ron, we'll be there in a minute."

Sodding goblin.

Then, there was the most embarrassing encounter of all of them. The entire family had been in the living room, decorating the tree and putting up mistletoe. It was by some rare coincidence that they had all gone to get more decorations, and suddenly, Fred and I were alone. Only I didn't realize this.

I hung the mistletoe by the door and hopped down from the ladder- a bit unsteadily, but down nonetheless- to admire my handiwork. Two strong arms encircled my waist and I involuntarily smiled, turning around.

He smirked and his face lowered to mine. His nose skimmed over mine and my eyes closed, the sweetness of the moment making my heart jump. "You know the drill. Step under the mistletoe-"

"Kiss me."

His lips pressed feather-light over my own and my eyelids fluttered. The Christmas music hummed in the background and his arms encircled mine. I could smell evergreen and gingerbread in the oven, but the scents of the season mingled with the spicy manly scent that was all Fred's. The Christmas lights danced across my eyelids. I tasted only him.

Something fell. I looked up, startled, to see a dishevelled Mrs. Weasley standing in the doorway and trying to pick up her fallen box. I closed my eyes in exasperation, trying not to yell at the poor mother of my boyfriend. It wasn't her fault we hadn't had any alone time here.

"I'm sorry kids. I'll just… well… I'll be…" She stuttered all the way out the door.

I leant my head against Fred, and groaned.

* * *

The only quiet time we got was at night.

I would lie awake until the secret Order meetings finished, listen until the doors closed, and wait until I heard Sirius start to snore from above me. Then, I would slowly sit up in bed, throw my legs over the side, and tiptoe out the door and down the dark and musty hallway. I would ease open the heavy wooden door and creep inside, closing the door behind me stealthily. And then, I'd go to the twin bed on the left of the room and slide between the covers to press my body tight up against my freckled lover.

His hands always automatically reached out to cradle me close, and we'd comment about the day and whisper our love to each other while the moonlight filtered in through the ancient, dust-covered windows.

It was on one such night when I suddenly had an intense urge to ask him about our intimate relationship. I knew he wasn't a virgin- that wasn't hard to deduce- but so far I hadn't asked who or when. A part of me was afraid to know how much experience he had; afraid he would tire of me fumbling around in the bedroom. I had experience, but I was still a virgin. I had, at most, given a blowjob to a 7 year Gryffindor named Pierre Cateau at the end of last year- to which he returned generously and then broke up with me at the end of the year before he graduated. We were still quite good friends.

And now, well, I loved Fred. I really did. And I wanted to show him that love. I needed to revel in its warmth, to consummate our relationship, to make it official that I gave him everything I had to offer. A small part of me was afraid of the pain, but a much larger part really couldn't wait to give Fred the one part of me that nobody else would or could ever get. He already had my heart; I figured it was time for him to officially take my innocence too. It was rather fitting, in a crooked sort of way, that the person to explain to me what virginity was would be the one to take it away from me. I was ready to become his woman, not a girl playing her hand at grownup life.

I wanted to make love with my boyfriend and the love of my life, Fred Weasley.

"Baby... who'd you lose your virginity to?" I asked, barely above a whisper. The last word hung in the air heavily and I breathed in his scent, waiting for his answer. I was past the point of being embarrassed at anything with him anymore. He loved me for me, and I for him. I didn't see why he needed to wait to tell me. I didn't care. I was just curious. And maybe a little apprehensive. If it was some sex goddess, I mean... that's a lot to live up to.

A kiss landed on the crown of my head. "Her name was Lysandra. She was a French veela and we met at the beginning of my 6th year when George and I were going to find Bagman for cheating us out of our money at the World Cup. I got sidetracked and ended up in her tent. Later that year she came to Hogwarts for the Triwizard, and we were pretty much fuckbuddies for a while. She was my first, but," and he ducked he head in embarrassment, nuzzling my neck for a few minutes, "I only lasted for a few seconds. The sex during our, for lack of a better word, "relationship" was always good, but emotionless. A part of me always screamed that it wasn't right, that she was using me."

I squeezed my arms round his waist and snuggled my face into his chest. A veela! That was going to be hard to match. "What happened?"

"I walked in on her shagging Wood's brains out. That was it for me."

"Bitch! How dare someone cheat on my man! I'ma go find her and rip out her hair so nobody will like her, even with her fucking slut ability! Nobody fucks over my boy." I "grr"ed and sat up angrily. Irrational anger flooded me and I had a primal urge to stake my claim on what was mine. Two strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me down.

"My little lioness," a teasing voice whispered in my ear. He nipped at the shell of my ear and pleasure shot through me.

"Stop that or I'm going to pull of your clothes and ravish you two feet from your peacefully sleeping twin," I hissed. I pulled away, begrudgingly, from his mouth to cuddle into his chest again.

"Who's objecting?" Kisses distracted me and I shook my head.

"No. I'd never be able to look at him again." I drew small circles on his stomach as I reigned myself in, changing the topic so my mind didn't wander into unsafe territory. "Lysandra The Bitch can't be the only girl. I know you. And after The Bitch fucked you over, you'd want revenge."

"Why'd you think I asked Angelina to the ball and not you?"

"WHAT? You mean it's all The Bitch's fault that I hate Angelina and didn't get an awesome date to the ball? It's because of Laslut that I ended up having a shitty time being too preoccupied with being totally jealous of Angelina that I couldn't enjoy my own night?"

"Really?" He stared at me for what felt like an eternity. I blushed and ducked my head against his chest.

"Yeah. I was pretty jealous that you took Angelina instead of me, your best friend. It also didn't take the Minister of Magic to figure out that you two would end up canoodling in your four-poster."

It was his turn to blush. "Yeah... But Angie was pretty inexperienced and, after learning a shit ton from Lysandra, the shag seemed clumsy and inadequate. There was little grace and not enough heat to make up for it. I would have much rather gone with you." He kissed my nose and I smiled softly. He returned the question, and I gave a brief explanation of the rendezvous with Pierre. After a brief moment of jealousy, both of us lay in his cramped bed and Fred cradled me close to him.

It was silent for a few minutes. The sound of our breath was the only thing in the room, and other than a light breeze, it was warm and still in the room.

"I love you."

We both murmured the three syllables on a whisper. The words floated effortlessly in the room and my lips quirked up in a smile. "Fred, I really mean it. I can't imagine my life without you. You are everything I need and everything I never dreamed of having. Sometimes I hate saying the words 'I love you'. They just seem so inadequate for how I feel. Merlin, you're everything to me. When I was little, I used to imagine my fairytale prince. And now that he's here- _you're_ here-, holding me, I couldn't feel more overwhelmed and serene all at the same time. You may not be perfect- by Aunt Muriel's argyle dress, I know I'm not- but you are certainly perfect to me."

When he kissed me, it felt as though I was flying. Yet at the same time, I had never felt more grounded. Life, in that second, was just how it should have always been. Perfect.

* * *

stay tuned for the next update. it shouldn't be far away!

thanks again for all of you that stuck with me through my difficult, no-updating period. i'm sorry for the short abandonment.

again, CONTACT ME if you are INTERESTED IN MAKING A BANNER OR OTHER VISUAL AID. you are the most amazing people ever.

thank you!

audrey


	25. A Christmas to Remember

Hey guys! I'm updating, whoop!

So, hopefully you'll love this chapter. I enjoyed writing it haha. Yay for Frayne!

I want to thank ALL of you WONDERFUL reviewers/alerters/favouriters. You make me teary-eyed, and I'm so happy that I got around to writing this for you guys.

Also, I will be posting the outtake to this in a few moments, so check that out if you want to (WARNING: IT'S LIKE XXXX RATED)

ENJOY!

* * *

**A Christmas to Remember**

_Oh I won't ask for much this Christmas, I won't even wish for snow. I'm just gonna keep on waiting underneath the mistletoe. I won't make a list and send it, to the North Pole for Saint Nick. I won't even stay awake to hear those magic reindeer click. 'Cause I just want you here tonight, holding on to me so tight. What more can I do? Baby all I want for Christmas is you - All I want for Christmas (Mariah Carey)_

* * *

"Mummy!"

I leapt into my mother's arms and hugged her tight, kissing her cheek. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, my darling. How was school this term?" she asked. She hugged me close to her bosom, cradling me in her sweet, homey scent. I felt the familiar fabric of her woolen robes underneath my cheek and the comforting smell of perfume and herbs from the hospital clinging to her skin from work permeated my senses. As a tight knit family, being apart from each other for long periods of time (like when I went to school or went on vacation with the Weasley family without them) put strain on us all.

"Princess, c'mere!" My father scooped me out of Mum's arms and into his own, giving me a big Bugbear hug. "Oh, it's been too long, sweet!"

"I know Papa, I know." I clutched him to me tightly, having missed his tall skinny frame and soothing hugs. It had been too long since we had been able to be together as a family.

The four of us were all the family we had, apart from the Weasleys that is. After my mum was disowned and tortured by her own blood, my father was all she had. When Nymphadora was born, and then me, we had become a very close nuclear family. We relied on each other for everything- comfort, love, hope, and trust. I shuddered to think of losing any one of my family members in the coming war. It would shatter me; I wasn't sure it was something I would ever get over.

To see my mother and father again raised my hopes. The last few days had been hard on everybody. Seeing Arthur like that destroyed the morale of everybody. Watching one of the strongest and bravest men I know lay prone in a hospital bed, surrounded by healers in pristine white robes instead of his family, and knowing that he had been so close to death only a few days before made me scared to death. If Arthur Weasley had been decimated so early on in this war, the outlook for the rest of us was not good.

However, with the holidays coming the next morning and the horizon looking brighter than it had as of late, I had no qualms about being happy and optimistic for at least several weeks. I clutched my parents to me and felt giddy about the excitement of the coming night and day.

We said our goodbyes to the Weasleys and wished them all a happy Christmas Eve. I pulled Fred aside to kiss him deeply, promising him that I would see him first thing in the morning and wishing I could be in two places at once so I could spend our first Christmas Eve together, alone, as well as with my family. After tearing myself from Fred with one last kiss, I grabbed Mum's hand and Papa's arm. Seconds later, I was flung through the air and landed on my arse in the living room of our cottage.

"Blayne!" a squeal came from next to me. I looked up warily to see my green-and-red headed sister barreling towards me. She lifted me off the floor and twirled me around in the air excitedly. "It's CHRISTMAS!"

"Why yes, I am so glad you've finally got your celebrations down. Tell me, when is Morgana's Day?" I teased. She placed me on the floor and stuck her tongue out at me. "You would think that Aurors would know how to retaliate with more than childish facial expressions, wouldn't you? You've never met my sister then."

"Muuum, Andromache is being meeean!"

"Oh stop it you two. Even after sixteen years you cannot get along?" Mum laughed. My dad wrapped his arm around her waist and led her to the kitchen to help her finish dinner while Tonks and I went to set the table.

After our traditional roast dinner, we gathered around in the living room to commence the annual tree decorating. Even after sixteen years, I still loved listening to the typical Muggle Christmas music blare over our Muggle radio (a gift from Mr. Weasley for Christmas when I was about two years old) as we draped the ornaments over our thriving evergreen tree. Mum would hang the stockings on the mantel and Papa would light the Yule log. We lit candles in the windows and danced along to the music, catching each other under the mistletoe and forcing one family member to kiss one of us.

I wouldn't miss a Tonks Christmas for the world. Mum and Dad don't like to talk about when Mum was disowned, but we know the story. Sirius told Nymph when she was little, before he went to Azkaban, and she told me when I turned thirteen. Her sisters, though they were mostly opposites, had been her family. When her father disowned her, her sisters were forced to as well. Bellatrix readily accepted my mother as a traitor; I always suspected it was because Bellatrix was jealous, deep down, of my mum's pure heart. Narcissa, however, had a more difficult time. After she married Lucius and Draco was born, Narcissa was forced to sever all ties with my mother. And so, Andromeda was left to her own devices with only a new husband and two small children.

We were the only family we had, besides Sirius. But what kind of family was he? He was nearly insane from his imprisonment, and who would blame him? However, it still didn't leave much of a family for any of us to rely on. I would stand by my last remaining cousin, for I did love him to death, but I barely knew him. I was a baby when he was sent to Azkaban. I would always stick by my mother, my father, and my sister, if only for the reason that we needed each other far more than anyone could ever imagine. So no, leaving my first love on our first Christmas Eve together was not gut-wrenchingly difficult, as one would imagine. I couldn't image spending this night without the only best friends that I knew would stick with me no matter what. And, in the deep recesses of my mind that I dare not dig into, I was acutely aware that this year may very well be the last Christmas I would get to spend with my family. Voldemort was back, and no one was safe.

I grabbed the tinsel and watched as it sparkled in the light from the fire, smiling softly and thinking of all the memories the simple ornament held. This is what I loved. This is why I came home for Christmas, and this was what the Christmas spirit really was. Because my mother was alone in the world when we were born, with only my dad beside her, she had resolved to make traditions and happy ceremonies for every second of our childhoods. She refused to let our childhoods turn out as wretched as hers had. And she had worked magic.

As I reached into the bucket of sentimental glass ornaments to pick out another, Mum spoke up, jarring me out of my thoughts.

"So, darling, are there any boys on the horizon?" she giggled, poking my side. I bit my lip. It was now or never, I supposed.

"Well, Mum, Papa," I began. Nymphadora rolled her eyes good-naturedly and I felt the light sting of her shoulder punch. I felt my cheeks heat up. "Fred and I have been dating."

Even though I had mumbled it, Mum heard it. I thought I would go deaf and I would be crushed, barely breathing during the congratulations.

The questions were never-ending. "Since when?" was one of the questions that I finally understood through all the squealing.

"Unofficially, we started dating in the beginning of the school year. So about four months, I suppose." She finally let me go and rested her hand on my cheek.

"I'm so happy for you. I always knew you'd end up with one of those boys. Just think, Ted, we may get redheaded children yet! Oh, and to be related to the Weasleys, how delightful!"

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves now, Andromeda. I'm very delighted for you, Blayne. I just hope that young man is good to you. We wouldn't want him having an accident, now would we?" We all burst out laughing. As hard as he might try, my father was not a very intimidating man. He was all love and fun and not much might, though he was fiercely protective and a very strong wizard.

I bit my lip and turned back to the bucket, picking out a heart ornament. I raised it to the tree and rested it on a branch as I muttered, "I really love him Mum."

"I can see it in your eyes, my dear. Your strong emotions all lie there, so easily readable. To be young and feel love's sweet glow." She kissed my cheek.

For the next few minutes, I went on about how wonderful Fred was. I couldn't contain myself. I hadn't really been able to babble incessantly about how fantastic my boyfriend was because my other best friend was his twin brother. Therefore, I took this opportunity in stride.

"I just can't wait to see him tomorrow. Even being away from him tonight is borderline torturous. I miss him so much!"

"I always knew this would happen. Let the girl spend so much time around boys as she's growing up, and she's bound to fall in love with one of them! This is all your fault, Andromeda!" my dad joked. Our laughter rang through the house and warmed my insides.

A little while later, we sat down for tea and custard. Nobody in our family was big Christmas pudding fans, so instead we ate Bird's Eye custard in petite glasses. Somehow, school came up, and along with that, the ugly pink toad. Refusing to let her torturous and barbaric teaching method and detention style ruin my holiday as well as my school days, I simply told them that she was a horrible person with a hideous personality who had no business being at Hogwarts. I was not learning anything and would love to see her expelled from the school. At the end of the conversation, I lightened the topic by turning my body into an imitation of Umbridge, and was quite afraid that my family would all die from heart attacks or the like because of their tremendous laughter.

We also talked about the boys' joke shop plans. I mentioned that they were thinking of dropping out of school because of Umbridge and a whole host of other reasons, but asked my family to refrain from mentioning it to Molly as it would only cause more problems. Papa asked what I thought, and I told him I didn't know. I encouraged the boys in whatever they did, and I didn't want to stay at Hogwarts anymore than they did, especially if they were gone, but I didn't want to abandon my education and the opportunities awaiting me at the end of my school days if I left alongside them. Papa fully encouraged me to finish school and Tonks agreed with him but also understood the horrid attitude of the pink toad, so she was a little more sympathetic towards my leaving. Mum told me to follow my heart. Sodding advice that was!

We talked about Tonks and asked how work was. She couldn't mention a lot, as most of it was top secret, and we didn't ask about the Order because we knew it would ruin the happiness of the holidays, but we got an overview of just how bad things were getting. On a happier note, Mum asked if there were any boys in her future, and she blushed and said no. I knew the gleam in her eyes. She had someone in mind and was keeping it a secret. I wondered why, and promised myself I would wrestle it out of her later.

After we finished our tea, we all settled down to watch Christmas movies on the Muggle television that Papa bought us, being a Muggle-born child himself. We, unlike many other wizarding families, had the immense privilege of being able to enjoy Muggle and wizard technology.

We all snuggled in together. I rested my head in my mum's lap and Nymph curled into my back, sort of spooning me in a sisterly-cuddle way. Daddy had his arms around Mum and she rested her head on his shoulder as she ran her hands through my hair.

After the traditional movie, Tonks' and my childhood favourite called Mickey's Christmas Carol, we drank some eggnog and I recalled the story of Fred and I from the beginning because I had promised Tonks. After that, Nymphadora and I grabbed our handwritten notes to "Father Christmas" and threw them into the dwindling fire. They went up into the chimney, and we smiled at each other. When we were little, we were told that Father Christmas would read the words in the smoke and give us all the toys our little hearts desired if our names were on the 'nice' list. Though I had long ago found out Father Christmas did not exist, Tonks and I still did the act for tradition's sake.

Kissing each family member goodnight, I told them I would see them in the morning to open our gifts. They would be going to bed soon, and though I would not admit it, Mum had opened up some hidden thoughts when she asked about the boys' plans for the next year. I didn't know what I was going to do, and not having a plan was really irking me. I needed to think before I could ever fall asleep.

I trudged upstairs to my bedroom. It was the farthest from the others, at the end of the hall, and small but quaint. As a small cottage, there was not a lot of room in the house for much other than necessities. My room had a queen sized bed, the most comfortable reading chair in the world, and some bookshelves and that's it. There was also a small window directly across from my bed and next to the sofa-chair.

I reached my arms out and began to lift my sweater over my head. A faint noise resounded in the tiny room. I was instantly on alert, it being wartime and all, and my body whipped around to see what was going on. My feet were swept up off of the floor and my lips captured in a searing, comforting kiss. I melted into the arms of my lover. His hands hugged the expanse of my back. My arms flung out around his neck and my legs wrapped around his waist, holding me to him. I felt him extend his hand behind him and mutter a word that didn't filter through my muddled brain, but I heard the lock of the door and the silence barriers go up around my little bedroom.

"Happy Christmas, my love," he whispered against my lips. Slowly, the kiss became lighter and softer, and after a minute we pulled back so that just our foreheads were touching. I stared into his shining blue eyes and smiled.

"Happy Christmas, Fred."

After a few more seconds of relaxing in his embrace, he swept his nose across mine and smiled, kissing me lightly once more. I hopped out of his arms and could feel the expanse of my smile start to hurt my face.

"What are you doing here? I didn't expect to see you tonight! What if your mum finds out? Or my papa? Oh never mind, I just can't believe you're here!" I sighed and grasped his hands between mine. I let my eyes wander down his form, taking in his form-fitting bright red button down shirt and low-slung blue jeans. He looked like heaven in a perfect little package. I hoped I would get to unwrap that later.

"Wait! I brought you something." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small box, about the size of an earring box. He pulled out his wand and whispered a few words, aiming the wood piece at the box. It expanded in his hand and he held it out proudly. "I figured we should exchange gifts tonight. You know, so it's more special... and romantic. Not to mention that we can thank each other properly when we aren't being hovered over by parents." He winked and his lip quirked up and I found myself laughing at his absurdity. Merlin, I loved him.

"Okay, just let me get yours." I reached into my small closet and dug around, bending at the waist and moving my hand around until it encountered something.

"Oh, don't worry B. Take your time. I'm enjoying the view." He ended his phrase with a sexy little growl and I groaned. He could make anything sound so sexy.

"Here it is." My fingers grazed the package and I pulled it out, holding it out in front of me triumphantly. "Happy Christmas Eve, Freddie!"

He chuckled and we swapped gifts. He had presented me with two boxes. They were both wrapped in the same red and green striped wrapping paper with a little red bow on top. I grasped his hand with my free one and led him over to the bed, sitting down across from him and setting the gifts in my lap. I nodded at him, telling him that I wanted him to open his first, and he begrudgingly peeled back the simple snowflake wrapping paper that covered his gifts.

When the paper was discarded, he was left with a white box. He lifted the top and grinned. On top, there were four different pairs of boxers, each with a different design. There was the typical heart design, one with green and red plaid with a red bow that said 'don't open 'till Christmas', a blue plaid pair that stated 'you may be a beater, but you look like a keeper to me', and the mooshy one with a large x on it that yelled 'property of Blayne'. He dug back into his box and picked up a few boxes of Fizzing Wizbees.

He laughed and hugged me, kissing me sweetly on the lips."Thank you baby. I love them! They're so perfect."

"One for each month we've been together. There's more."

Underneath that was a silver mirror with an intricate pattern around the edges. He looked at me quizzically and held it up. I smiled and leaned over, reaching under my bed to grab something. When I held it up, his face was priceless.

"Two-way mirrors?"

"Yup."

His grin lit up the room and he crushed me to him, kissing me. "I'll never have to go a day without seeing your beautiful face. This is the best gift you could have ever gotten me!" He slid his lips along mine again and I moaned into his mouth as his tongue tickled the edge of mine. I tugged on his bottom lip a little before pulling back.

"My turn?" He nodded and I grinned, opening up the haphazard wrapping job. "Did you do this yourself?"

"Yup, I did." His grin was too adorable. Merlin, he was just the most endearing boyfriend ever!

I lifted the paper off and found a bottle of perfume below. I took a whiff and almost fainted. It was delicious! It was musky and dark with a hint of vanilla and just a dab of earth. I grinned up at him and kissed him slowly, thanking him with my mouth. He licked the outside of my lips before letting me go, urging me to open the other, larger box. I bit my lip and cut the tape open with my finger, pulling the paper back to reveal a simple red velvet case. I lifted the lid and gasped.

Hanging from a dainty, white-gold chain was a single cream pearl nestled in an intricate circle (.). I ghosted my hands over it and raised my eyes to Fred's in awe. It was the most beautiful necklace I had ever been given.

"Put it on?" I whispered. He nodded with a slight smile and twirled his finger to indicate that I should turn. I turned around and nestled up to him so I was in his lap and flipped my hair over my shoulder. His fingers grazed my shoulder, the calluses on his worn hands tickling my neck and evoking a longing within me. I bit my lip to hold back the moan as his breath tickled the sensitive skin on my neck. The less he touched me, the more I wished he would. Without touching me, he fastened the clasp behind my neck and I felt the ghost of his fingertips.

"There. Beautiful. Let me see." He gently turned my shoulders and I got up off the bed. I stood in front of him, my hands at my sides, and smiled. I loved the weight of his love resting between my collarbone and the tiny drop pearl lying against the rise of my breasts. He gazed at me lovingly, his eyes lit up. He smiled and reached a hand out to me.

My hand rested in his. He pulled me closer, his eyes locked on mine. Fred began to murmur how much he loved me and I sat on his lap, facing him. His hands wrapped around my waist and my hand came up to cradle his cheek.

"I love you Fred." Then, I kissed him. It was a simple caress and my lips moved softly over his.

He pulled me closer. I felt my hair turn, a deep red with the sincerity of the emotion deep within my heart. In that second, I felt my heart swell and I almost wept with the intensity of the feeling. I was loved for all I was. I trusted him. And it was time to give him everything I had. The only gift I could give him that he would cherish forever. The one thing I could bestow to him that he would hold to his heart for all eternity. My purity.

We kissed for a period and everything seemed perfect. Eventually, the kisses slowed and he pulled back. He could feel what I wanted.

"Are you sure?" Fred whispered.

I felt my lips turn upwards. "I've never been so sure of anything in my life."

He gripped my face in his hands, tenderly, lovingly, caringly. He kissed me and a bead of pure happiness slid down my cheek.

He had me. All of me.

_Happy Christmas, my love._

* * *

Afterwards, I collapsed on the bed. I felt whole and content and fantastically cherished. It was quiet and all we felt for each other was soft and real, charging the air between us.

My head rested on his bare chest and my naked legs entwined with his own. His large hands spread the expanse of my lower back and held me to his side. He had the most adorable, sleepy smile upon his face.

I tucked my head under his chin. I felt his eyes on my face and my own drooped.

The last thing I saw before my eyes drifted shut were the little, white flakes drifting to the ground as the best Christmas Eve of my life came to a close.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked it! :) Go check out the outtake if you want to, it'll be up shortly. REVIEW AND MESSAGE ME AND STUFF, it really helps a lot.**

**I also want to thank Freakin-little, who updated her story Phoenix Honor and inspired me to finish this for you all. It's my favourite story to read and you should ALL CHECK IT OUT! (.net/u/2322389/Freakin_little)**


	26. You Make Me Very Merry Happy

hello, my pretties! haha here's another chapter. i know the story is going pretty slow at the moment, and i'm sorry about that. i'm doing my best!

i hope you enjoy this one. i kind of got in the Christmas mood. So, for all intents and purposes, it's Christmas in June for me right now haha.

So, i want to extend the 'IF ANYONE WANTS TO MAKE ME A BANNER, I WOULD LOVE YOU FOREVER' invitation again. please please please? this story is lacking visuals i think. :/ if you need a few, go to my profile and i have a link to where i place all of them. thanks a bunch.

also, reviewing is always appreciated. :)

okayy, here is some lovin' for all my little Fred-hungry birdies. ps- message me if there's something you would like to see in these stories that i haven't included or forgot about or something

this is long, so be prepared.

* * *

**You Make Me Very Merry Happy**

_You're all I want for Christmas_  
_All I want my whole life through_  
_Each day is just like Christmas_  
_Anytime that I with you_

_You're all I want for Christmas_  
_And if all my dreams come true_  
_Then I'll awake on Christmas mornin'_  
_And find my stocking filled with you_

_-All I Want for Christmas Is You (Bing Crosby)_

* * *

Something underneath me shifted. I groaned and moved my legs a little, wincing at the discomfort. A twitch underneath my thigh made me finally open my eyes.

I was lying on Fred, my right leg thrown over his waist and my centre pressed against his thigh. We were both gloriously naked and my head was cradled against his chest, his hand on my lower back and mine resting on his nipple next to my head. When I raised my eyes to his face, I found him staring down at me with a lazy smile adorning his mouth.

"Happy Christmas, my love." He reached down and placed a soft kiss on the tip of my nose. I smiled groggily back at him.

"And what a happy Christmas it is at that," I giggled. My voice came out hoarse and I blushed, remembering how much I screamed last night.

Fred chuckled, his deep laughter rocking his chest and making my body bounce. "I knew you were a vocal little sex kitten, but I didn't know that someone as tiny as you could be just _that_ loud." He squeezed me to his side and I bit my lip and smiled.

"Well who knew that you could make me cum so violently with my first time?" I repositioned myself and tightened my leg around his waist, twisting my other ankle around his other calf.

With a grunt, Fred replied hoarsely, "You wound me. My baby _always_ orgasms, no matter what."

I moaned deep in my throat and felt my body rush with heat at his words. I rubbed my face into his neck and kissed him, wondering how much longer we had before he would have to sneak out before my parents came up to wake me up for presents.

I smirked when I felt his dick twitch against my thigh again like it had when I was woken up. I let my hand wander down his body and grip his morning wood. He hissed and squeezed my ass.

"As much as I would love to have my first present of the day be you, you're too sore for another round right now. It's only been a few hours, Blayne; though I do love your enthusiasm," he winked down at me.

I whined and slowly started to caress his prick. He groaned and grasped my hand in his. "Wait, I think I can hear your parents. Sweetie, they're probably bringing your stocking to the end of your bed. I've got to go before they find me... or before my mum _doesn't_ find me."

With a heavy sigh, I let him go. I looked at the digital clock which my dad gave me from his Muggle days and saw that it was around five in the morning. Outside my window, snow was still gently falling and the ground was covered in a thick layer of white.

I kissed his lips lightly and begrudgingly rolled over so he could get up to get dressed. I watched with amusement as he fought with himself before finally getting up from the bed with tremendous difficulty. I followed his naked form as he roamed around my room looking for his clothing. He bent down to pick up his wifebeater, which I had forgotten I had thrown off him, and slid it over his head. His jeans had landed on my bureau with my panties on top of it and he stood in front of the drawers as he dragged the jeans over his ass. In my lust and sleep addled brain, I didn't realize he didn't put on his shirt or boxers. When he was finished tying his trainers (one which landed under the bed and the other which had fallen off by the window) he came back over to the bed with other articles of clothing in his hands.

"As much as I love you laying there beautifully bare, I don't think your parents would quite understand you laying here naked at the end of December." We laughed quietly together and he slid his boxers up my legs and rested them on my hips. His wand swished through the air as he removed the locks on the room. Then he lifted me up, slid both arms through his button-down, and buttoned the buttons for me. My eyes were already starting to drift shut as he finished the last plastic piece. I couldn't help myself as I gave into the temptation and let my eyelids finally fall.

The last thing I remember before floating into dreamland was a light kiss on my puffy, well-kissed lips and seven whispered words.

"I love you Blayne. Never forget that."

* * *

The next time I woke up, my feet were weighed down by something heavy. I disregarded it as I replayed the night before in my mind. I grasped the pearl in my hand and was just about to drift back to sleep when my door slammed open.

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS, BEAUTIFUL SISTER OF MINE!" a high pitched voice squealed. I groaned and rolled over. "Hey, where'd you get that necklace?"

I blushed and jolted upright, tucking the necklace into Fred's shirt. Her eyes lit up with mischief as she eyed me. "Fred came last night, didn't he?" Morgana, how was she so good at reading me?

"N-no!"

"Don't lie to me, sis. You've got the well-fucked glow about you." I blushed at her words.

Holding my arms across my chest in a defensive manner, I crawled out of bed. "Okay fine, Fred did come over and we made love. But you can't tell anybody, okay? I have no idea how Mum and Papa would react, not to mention it only happened a few hours ago. As far as they're concerned, I borrowed these clothes from Fred clean out of the wash after Molly gave me his clothes to put on his bed, okay?"

"Sure, sure." She turned to leave, and was almost out the door before she turned back and smiled brilliantly. "I really am so happy for you, B. Fred and you are perfect for each other."

Then she was gone, albeit with a little trip as she jammed her toe in my door.

I shook my head and grabbed my stocking, testing its weight in my hands as I descended the stairs. I was consumed with my own thoughts concerning what would happen at Headquarters that night and had to save myself from tripping down the stairs and landing on my ass on more than one occasion.

I smiled when I saw my family gathered around the newly decorated Christmas tree. They each held a stocking in their hands and festive music was playing softly in the background. I gracelessly sat down next to Nymphadora on the floor.

"Good morning, sunshine! How was your sleep?" Mum's question was innocent enough, but it flooded my mind with inappropriate thoughts. I stopped myself from blushing and shrugged.

"I slept wonderfully, thanks. Happy Christmas everybody!" I beamed. There was something about the energy in the air when your family was together and everything seemed perfect. Nothing could go wrong today.

We each opened our stockings and pulled out our gifts. I received a plethora of my favourite gift- sweets. Also, I was presented with new, lighter robes for the spring and fall months at Hogwarts, money for clothes from my parents, and some sentimental bits and pieces that I'd mentioned I liked. Nymph also gave me a body care kit which ranged from bath soaps to face masks.

Afterwards, we all sat down for our annual breakfast of bangers and mash. While chomping down on our toast and over-easy eggs, we talked about what we were going to do that day.

"We should get going soon. We don't want to be late for Headquarters. We told them we'd be there around eleven," I commented.

Tonks nodded. "I have to be on duty for about three hours before dinner time, but I should be around for the rest of the festivities. I wonder who's coming..."

"Don't worry, Dora, I'm sure your charming werewolf wouldn't miss it for the world." Papa chuckled into his pumpkin juice and Mum and I couldn't stop from laughing, much to Tonks' chagrin.

She grumbled under her breath and we all teased her some more. It was obvious she had the hots for my former teacher. I thought they'd look quite charming together, never mind the age difference. You know what they say; age has nothing to do with love.

"Well your mum and I are going around visiting some friends of ours and we'll be by later. A lot of families are grieving today since the past war. Besides, Boxing Day will have to be reserved for your grandparents and uncles."

Nymphadora and I groaned. Our Muggle family saw us once a year- on Boxing Day. Papa made sure we kept a little contact with them, though they were as oblivious as the Giant Squid. It was a day that we all sat around my grandparents' old musty house while watching strange contraptions whirl around, much to their amusement. We lied all day about everything- where we went to school, what our friends did, even where we lived. As far as my dad's family was concerned, we lived in a nice cottage in the north of Switzerland and were avid skiers. Whatever skiing was.

So I would be with the Weasleys all day, mostly by myself until supper. I wondered what sort of shenanigans we would get into this Christmas.

After breakfast, I went upstairs to gather the stuff I would need at Headquarters. I changed into a soft red cowelnecked sweater and a pair of dark, distressed jeans. I pulled on my purple Converse and did my makeup in soft, bright colours. I thought with longing of the sweater which I was leaving behind; the blue sweater that Molly had knitted me, proudly baring the letter B in pink stitching on the front, had become too tiny for me to wear anymore.

I squinted my eyes and my hair cascaded down my back in long, soft, deep red curls with bright green highlights. I had to get in the Christmas mood, of course. I slid the necklace down the front of my sweater to conceal it to everybody until Fred and I had a chance to go off together alone.

I grabbed my tote and, with a wince as my thighs quivered because of the effort they had put out the night before, descended the stairs so my sister could bring me to Headquarters. I said goodbye to my parents with promises to be a good girl, and then Nymphadora grabbed my arm and we whooshed through time and space.

We landed outside the Muggle apartments with a thump. I tripped in the heavy snow and caught myself just before falling. Tonks and I recited the address in our heads and soon the building was squeezing its way into its proper place. We stepped up to nock quietly on the door, so as not to wake Sirius's mum, and the door slid open to reveal a flushed Mrs. Weasley. She lit up when she saw us and ushered my sister and I inside and out from the cold.

"Happy Christmas, dearies. The boys are upstairs, Blayne darling." Molly ushered me up the stairs and then turned to Tonks in hushed tones. I guessed there was an Order meeting about to commence in the kitchen.

I crept upstairs to the boys' bedroom and shoved the heavy wooden door open. George squealed like a little girl and Fred was brandishing his Beater's bat at me when I finally saw the two of them. The funniest part of it was that they were both naked except for a pair of boxers hanging from their hips. I nearly fell over at the sight of my boyfriend and his twin so vulnerable and so childishly reacting to such a simple scare. The looks on their faces were priceless. When I stopped laughing and wiped the tears from my eyes, both the boys were blushing. Fred put down his bat and George sat down on his bed, holding a hand to his heart.

"That was a very nasty thing to do to us, Miss Andromache!" George huffed.

Fred walked over and enveloped me in a hug. "Good morning, my love. I missed you. Though George is right... is that any way to treat the man whom you love?"

"I thought it was quite appropriate. Speaking of, I love your boxers baby." I grinned and pulled the elastic away from his hips, letting them snap back. Fred made a sound in the back of his throat and turned, wiggling his ass at me. He was wearing a pair that I had given him the night before, the plaid and red bow ones that told me not to open until Christmas. _Good thing it's Christmas_, I thought.

"You just can't resist me, can you?"

"Oh, woe is me who tries such an evil deed!" I put a hand over my forehead in typical drama queen style. George snickered behind us.

"Would you two quit it? You're making me gag over here." George then turned his back on us and finished getting dressed. I shook my head at the twin and Fred wrapped his arms around my waist, sitting me in the bed in his lap.

"But seriously, how are you feeling sweetheart?" he whispered in my ear. I grinned and caught his lips with mine.

"Wonderful. Amazing. Perfect. Fantastic. Giddy. Merlin, I love you." I kissed him again.

"You've got to be sore though, no?" His mouth trailed down my neck and he lavished the side of it with his tongue. I bit back a moan.

"Slightly, but it's nothing worse than when how I feel after I fall the night before. So it's no more than a daily occurrence."

He shook his head against my neck and I could feel him grinning.

Things were just getting heavy when George turned back around and threw something in my lap. Fred's head popped up and I picked it up to see a badly wrapped box of some sort. It was his gift to me for Christmas. I leaned over to fish out his gift from my bag and threw it back at him.

I peeled back the paper to reveal a book. Flipping it over, a red and black cover flashed back at me. In perfect cursive, the book's title glinted. _The Magical Kama Sutra_ was elegantly inscribed on the cover. I couldn't stop laughing. I looked up at George and Fred stared at the book dumfounded.

"I take it you know then, mate. Thanks for the book, I'm sure it'll come in handy." I got up off Fred's lap and hugged my best mate. He always knew how to lighten a situation while at the same time displaying his infinite approval at our relationship.

I watched him open his gift and pull out two tickets to a Wizard Rock concert that had all his favourite bands present. I knew he sort of liked Angelina but was too afraid to ask her out, and I hoped these tickets would give him the push he needed. He rolled his eyes at me while simultaneously being really excited. He hugged and thanked me.

Afterwards, I untucked the necklace from Fred from underneath my shirt, and George went to get everybody else so we could exchange gifts while the adults were in the meeting.

"I can't wait to go through that gift with you," Fred whispered. He kissed my shoulder lightly and I suppressed a shudder at the thought.

"I never thought I'd see the day when Fred Weasley showed interest in a book." I teased him lightly, but it was a sore alternative for what I really wanted to do to him at that moment. His hands rested lightly on my hips and I could feel the heat tingling from each of his fingertips. I tilted my head to the side to catch his lips in an innocent kiss.

A flash of a freckled nose and a blue sweater made me jump. "Good morning, brother and future sister. Please refrain from shagging whilst I am in the room. I trust you haven't blown up my gift yet?" Ginny said in greeting as she walked through the door.

"It's right here, impatient little witch." I threw it at her and she caught it soundly, her Chaser skills proving themselves. She tossed mine lightly in my direction without realizing it and Fred caught it for me. I smiled at him, thanking him silently because the entire room knew I wouldn't have caught it.

I had gotten Ginny her first gift certificate to a lingerie store. She was fourteen now, and she had a right to feel pretty, though if I heard she was showing any boys this underwear I would beat her silly and then have to restrain her brothers from locking a chastity belt round her waist.

She blushed scarlet, threw me a look, and quickly stashed her gift. Luckily, nobody noticed because the trio was filtering through the door. I laughed as I held up the gift she gave me. It was an off-the-shoulder simple white t-shirt with black lettering that proudly stated 'I love my boyfriend'. Fred threw a devilish grin to Ginny and she giggled lightly.

Fred lazily flicked his wand as George sat down beside us, and the gifts to the three young troublemakers flitted to their laps. In return, George threw three gifts at Fred, three to me, and kept three for him. Fred and George always gave a joint gift to their friends and family, with the exception of a few people like who had unusual circumstances. For instance, I had always been their best friend and had a different sort of relationship with each twin, meaning they each had a different idea as to a gift and could never agree.

I got Ron a wand holder, hoping it would help the boy in keeping his delicate wand from getting into any more trouble. Harry got a simple black tee that proclaimed 'I may not be a Prefect, but I'm perfect!', making a joke of his best friends's new status in Gryffindor. And to Hermione, I gave her a set of my favourite romance novels. The girl was now 15, and it was time to get her head out of the books and into the real world of boys and romance and fun and love. Krum had wanted to teach her last year, but she wasn't ready. Maybe, until she was ready to confront her own sexuality and budding desires, these books would keep her company. They had certainly helped me.

Ron gifted me some sweets, which I was immensely grateful for since my stash had been dwindling greatly. I got treacle fudge from Harry and almost fainted at the smell of it; it was from the store at Hogsmeade where I sometimes indulged myself I had enough money, the place where they made the best sweets near us. I couldn't thank him enough and had to stop myself from devouring the treats then. Hermione, ever the scholar, bought me a beautiful manuscript about charms and how to create them. I was grateful for the introduction to what I wanted to do with my life.

After we had exchanged our gifts, we all joked a bit before the delicious smell of Molly's cooking reached our noses. I hopped off Fred, grabbed his hand, and nearly flew down the stairs to get to the food. I was ravished. Perhaps it was all the strenuous activity I had partaken in the previous night...

We all sat down to a wonderful Christmas afternoon meal. Afterwards, more presents were given. Remus and Bill had stayed after the Order meeting and sat next to Sirius, and to my surprise both had gotten gifts for everyone. My sister had left for Order business somewhere. Charlie had sent his gifts all the way from Romania.

Molly's were the first. She made me a new sweater, a purple hand-knitted profession of my position in her heart and in her family. It had a beautiful B laced on the front, and as I had tried to admit to her many times before, every time I saw that letter staring up at me, I couldn't help but feel my eyes fill with tears of joy. To have two families, two adoring and bloody brilliant groups of people that thought of me as their daughter and their sister, was just too much love for one person. Sometimes, I wondered how on Earth I had gotten so damn lucky.

I gave my surrogate mother a new wizarding cookbook. It wasn't much and didn't display a tenth of what her gift meant to me, but it was affordable and I knew she'd like it. She loved stuffing me with bloody delicious food that would make a Hungarian Horntail docile.

Sirius gave me some of his Firewhiskey, likely because it was what he had hanging around. I was technically of age in England, anyways. I couldn't wait to have some fun with the twins later. My family had all pitched in to buy my haggard cousin a Muggle television set and a bunch of movies he would enjoy. I could only imagine what it would be like being cooped up in a house, a captive without the official title, after just escaping Azkaban, a tortured soul without reason. I prayed for a reason to make it easier on my once-fun-loving cousin, who had smiled in pictures as he held my small, toddler frame in his large hands. I wanted that Sirius back, and I didn't think I ever would again. It tore me apart to know that the world would not again be blessed with the wonder that was Sirius Black in his former glory.

Remus blessed me with a Defence Against the Dark Arts anthology. The tome was almost as heavy as I was and beautifully aged. I thanked him profusely. He would never know how much that book would help me in the months to come as I struggled to teach myself the knowledge which Umbridge was withholding. I made him a little cherry wooden plaque with shiny gold lettering; he was, truly, the '#1 Werewolf Teacher'. He chuckled, and I regretted that it wasn't laced with more light.

I bought an elegantly male stationary set for Bill. I missed our long letters and cramped hands. Life had gotten away from us, and it was time to renew our close relationship of the past. Despite the large age difference, Bill and I had much in common and had always had a sibling-like bond. I told him, in a three-page long letter placed gently atop the pages, that I expected one letter a week. Also, it gave him a full page and a half of encouragement towards getting Fleur. Merlin knew, he needed a blasted wife already. He presented me with a heavy picture book. I almost began to cry as I flipped the pages of my childhood and glanced at the faces that had changed and evolved through time and circumstance. Half the book was left empty, awaiting new pictures of our future as friends and as a proxy family. Words could not express how much the book meant to me.

After peeling away the burnt paper of Charlie's gift, I found a little purple dragon. It was friendly looking and adorable in the way that it was the cutest and most non-frightening dragon I had ever laid eyes on. On its lime green stomach was stitched my name in elegant, Edwardian script. I had sent the dragon-tamer extra-strength burn cream for those nasty marks the cursed creatures he loved left upon his freckled skin. I had made it myself, adding a home-made charm to the mix to sooth and protect from future scars.

Afterwards, we visited Mr. Weasley. It was a lengthy visit, and most of it was spent just sitting around like family on Christmas Day. There was one event that stuck out amongst the normalcy.

The children left to get a snack and Fred and I stayed behind, standing around Arthur's bed while Molly sat in a rocking chair holding his hand. I studied their faces in the bright hospital light.

Arthur was lost. He looked at us quizzically, bewildered and a little drugged. Molly smiled at me, a glint to her eyes. I knew she had some idea of what we were about to tell them.

Fred grasped my hand in his and leaned down to kiss the crown of my head. I felt my face light up and looked at my extra parents in turn. Fred and I had decided to do this right, and he had told me he wanted to be the one to tell them.

"Mum, Dad, Blayne and I have something to tell you." His voice didn't waver and his tone was strong and commanding, demanding attention. My heart swelled to know that, with that voice, there was no room for argument, though I doubted there would be any. My love would stand by me, not matter what. "We're in love."

Molly's hands clapped together and then came to cover her mouth. Her eyes shone brightly as tears quivered on her lids. Watching her, I could feel a few of my own tears flit down my cheek. She stood on shaking legs and enveloped us in a hug to rival a giant. I don't know how long we stood there, but I knew I was crying and laughing and basking in the glow of my boyfriend's mother's infinite approval of me.

After she stood back, holding a hand to her heart and taking her husband's hand with her other one, Arthur finally spoke.

"I'm so happy for you two. We always knew the day would come. Come hug me, son." Fred let go of me to hug his bedridden father and kissed his cheek. "We love you as though you are our own, Blayne. I am beyond pleased to know that one day, you will officially join our family."

He ushered me over, and I caught myself crying again.

After a heart-warming dinner, complete with a traditional English roast and mashed potatoes, we all gathered round the fire. Ron and Harry played Exploding Snaps and Hermione read a book. Tonks snored loudly in a plush chair after her shift and I caught Lupin staring at the metamorphmagus. I shook my head, knowing they would end up together eventually. And I couldn't wait for the bundles of joy that they created. Molly was reading and marking up her new cookbook, Sirius was coaching Harry in his game, and Bill had left after dinner to see if he could find his little French veela. Ginny was passed out cold, curled into George's chest in a loveseat, her mouth gaping open like a fish.

Glancing at each of my family members and cradled in the arms of my one true love, I drifted to sleep with a smile on my face. I didn't know what the future would bring, I didn't know what Voldemort would do to my family, but I did know that I wouldn't ever forget the way I felt on that blessed Christmas of my sixth year.

* * *

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_  
_Let your heart be light_  
_From now on,_  
_our troubles will be out of sight_

_Have yourself a merry little Christmas,_  
_Make the Yule-tide gay,_  
_From now on,_  
_our troubles will be miles away._

_Here we are as in olden days,_  
_Happy golden days of yore._  
_Faithful friends who are dear to us_  
_Gather near to us once more._

_Through the years_  
_We all will be together,_  
_If the Fates allow_  
_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough._  
_And have yourself a merry little Christmas now._

_-Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas_

**i hope you enjoyed it. review and message and all that. xoxoxo, Audrey**


	27. 1996

HELLO HELLO!

I have some damned exciting news. I GOT MY FIRST BANNER FOR THIS STORY!

Many a thanks goes out to **SeekerRiddler** for the gorgeous banner that can be found here (.com/albums/cc109/hottieinthehouse16/Love%20Is%20Our%20Weapon/?action=view¤t=) and on my profile. If anybody else would like to make and send me a banner, let me know for further information.

On my photobucket (.com/albums/cc109/hottieinthehouse16/Love%20Is%20Our%20Weapon/), there are the character names and their information as well as the outfits the girls are wearing in this chapter. These pictures take a lot of time for me to make, so I would really appreciate if you would at least glance at them. Please check for updated pictures and information.

This chapter also comes with an extensive **WARNING**. This chapter includes sexual scenes because I wanted to experiment and see if you guys approved of keeping the scenes in the story instead of separating them into outtakes. So, for my fellow lemon-lovers, here's some sexin'.

Please, please, PLEASE review and private message me. It makes my day, and banners and other little tidbits show me just how much you actually like this story and make me write like crazy (as seekerriddler can attest to haha). Also, suggestions on content and language and anything else are always VERY appreciated. I wouldn't be doing any of this if it weren't for you guys.

Wow. Long note. Kay, on with the story!

* * *

**1996**

I took a walk for the very first time on the dark side of the dance floor,  
Lit a match just to heat things up but I got more than I bargained for;

Mixed drinks, mixed feelings of elation...

Outside, the brake lights started to dim,  
I feel the tension that's been pulling us in.  
And then we do it again, so we can feel alright.  
Falling in love for the night.

-A Party Song (The Walk of Shame) by All Time Low

* * *

"Oi! Give that back!" a shout echoed through the halls of the bustling Headquarters.

A flash of ginger ran by, closely followed by a flicker of silver. "I swear, George Gideon Weasley, if you don't give me my panties I will confringio you're arse so bad you won't be able to sit for a month!"

It was New Years Eve, around three o'clock, and the children of the household were setting up for their very own party. Molly was with Arthur, and had been since early that morning. Most of the Order was on early rounds or tackling some mission or another. I happened to know that Tonks was going to ask Moony on a date to the local pub to celebrate the new year. Sirius was already piss-ass drunk and singing to Buckbeak upstairs. He was supposed to be our 'chaperone'. Ha.

Each child was doing something to help get ready. We underaged wizards and witches were using borrowed wands from the stash upstairs which once belonged to the now-dead Black relatives. Fred had already raided the liquor cabinet and was in the process of making Firewhiskey jell-o shots. Ginny was putting up streamers, Ron was enchanting the balloons to explode at midnight and shower us with confetti, and Harry was sorting huge hats, 1996 glasses, and gaudy necklaces. Hermione was helping out in the kitchen to make our dinner, because as she said, we still needed to eat. George was _supposed_ to be making noisemakers and I had been in the process of charming lights and bewitching a sign to say 'Harry New Years' when I caught sight of my favourite pair of bright pink, sparkly thongs dangling from George's index finger, his face the picture of disgust.

"I found these delightful little things under my bed. I would much prefer to never have to think about seeing my best mate sans her underwear; but unfortunately, fate had different plans, didn't it, my dear Andromache?" George had taunted me from the living room. I blushed, knowing that everyone now knew that Fred and I were having sex, and reached out to snag them from the bratty twin. He held them out of my reach, and just to taunt me, now ran around the house holding my poor, innocent knickers hostage.

"Immobulus," a voice drawled. I jogged up in front of the now-frozen ginger and smirked at him, plucking the underwear from his hand.

When I turned, Fred stood lazily in the door of the kitchen. He was propped up against the moulding and holding his wand loosely in his hand, looking the picture of sexy. I licked my lip and sidled up to him to kiss his lips deeply. George was still frozen behind us as I ravished my unsuspecting boyfriend. He had teased me, and now it was time to tease my mate right back.

I heard a strangled groan behind us and from Fred's lips at the same time. I smirked against my lover's lips and pulled back, holding him at arm's length. "Thanks, my knight in shining armour."

I slid the panties into Fred's jean's pocket and winked at him. Turning around, I nodded to his brother. Fred, regretfully, undid the spell on his twin, and within seconds the house was filled with George's moans and groans of how disgusting we were.

"So how are those jell-o shots going, sweetie?" I asked. Fred shrugged and pulled me into the kitchen with him.

"They're turning out quite good, I think."

I smiled down at them and nodded. "They look yummy. I can't wait to try them." With a not-so-subtly wink, I turned around to help Hermione a bit to make the Yorkshire Puddings for our traditional roast dinner.

Afterwards, I made my way to the living room where the shenanigans would take place. With a casual flick of my wand, the banner I was working on floated up to drape across the top of the fireplace. When Harry looked up from his sorting, he just shook his head and fake-glared at me.

The room was almost finished. Ron was almost done with the balloons; Ginny was putting up the last of the streamers and George was making noisemakers and getting out the Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers. Hermione was putting the finishing touches on dinner and Fred was cooling the shots. Harry had finished sorting a while ago.

Hermione called from the kitchen and everyone hopped down and smiled at their handiwork. Then, we retired to the kitchen to eat a wonderful meal.

Afterwards, we popped open our crackers.

"Aha!" I laughed with a little yelp as my cracker fell apart at Fred's hands. He held the larger portion, but handed it to me and I smiled at him. I kissed him on the cheek and fished around for the present that had popped out. I found myself in possession of a miniature Wizard Chess Set. Fred had gotten a rear-admiral's hat from his cracker, and George was the proud owner of a grow-your-own-warts kit. Ginny, of course, now owned three small white mice. She ran upstairs to put them in the rusty cage that we hadn't found a use for.

Afterwards, we all ran upstairs to get dressed for our little homemade party. The girls and I all got together in my room because I had the most makeup and such.

I set to work defrizzing Hermione's hair for the festivities and Ginny fished around for some clothes in my room. I fashioned Hermione's hair into a high, loose ponytail with two little curls on either side of her forehead. Ginny soon came out of the closet holding a simple, strapless black romper with a studded belt around the waist.

"Oh my Holy Merlin, it's perfect! You're going to look so gorgeous Gin. Morgana help Harry," I teased.

I shoved her in it quickly, and to my delight I was right. It fit her perfectly and enhanced her tiny, early teen curves.

"Oh, I long ago gave up on Harry Potter. He's not going to fall for little old me anytime soon. However, that doesn't mean I can't strut around feeling sexy, does it?" She grinned, and I silently prayed for when Harry did wake up and smell the potions. I had an inkling that once he did, Ginny and he would remain together for quite a long while.

I then took Ginny into my seat while I motioned for Hermione to grab the outfit on the bed. She blushed a pretty pink and slid her fingers down the plain dress. "This... this is gorgeous!" she said.

It was a modest little number that fell to just above her knees and cut straight across the bust with thin straps holding it up. The bust was covered with metallic scrunched material, and after it stopped, the fabric fell straight down.

She was staring at herself in the mirror with awe as I fashioned the youngest Weasley's hair. I put a soft curl at the bottom to frame her face and pulled a little braid back by her forehead, securing it with a safety pin.

Then, I told them to choose shoes as I hopped into my ensemble. I wanted to choose something to knock Fred's boxers off, and I knew that I would be safe to that here where we were all family. A few weeks ago I had picked up a silver, shiny, microscopic little piece of fabric. It had no straps but had a straight bust line covered in white fluff and hugged every inch of my body. There were three small buttons down the front and it stopped just after my ass, the bottom adorned with two small bows on either thigh. I grabbed a pair of strappy silver heels and focused on my face.

After transforming my appearance, I looked myself in the mirror. I was going simple on my hair, not wanting to overpower the outfit. I settled for soft black locks with bangs across my eyes. I did my makeup innocently, wanting to tease my boyfriend with the stark difference of my outfit and my face. Heavy eyeliner was paired with simple lip balm (so I could kiss him all I wanted and still keep moisturized) and light pink blush, white eyeshadow, and a smidge of mascara.

Afterwards, I did Ginny's face up with dark eyes and pink lipstick and Hermione's with a simple swipe of eyeliner, mascara, and blush. She didn't want lipstick.

When we were done, I pulled the girls downstairs before the boys got there so that we could get hats and jewellery. I grabbed a tiny black hat with purple fluff around the top that tilted to the side of my head, Hermione opted for a normal-sized black paper hat, and Ginny grabbed a large and outrageous striped hat with flashing lights. Then we grabbed our beads, I grabbed the booze from the kitchen, and I flicked my borrowed wand to make the lights and entertainment begin.

When the boys walked down the stairs, they were stunned to find us arranged around the room. Hermione was on the floor by the stereo reading a book until the fun began and Ginny was flicking through the music above her. I, however, stood propped against the wall by my shoulder with a hand on my hip to greet them.

I shouted with a sweeping hand when they entered. "Welcome, boys, and _Happy New Years_!"

Harry was staring at his best friend's little sister with awe, wondering how the bloody hell she grew up in thirty minutes, and then his eyes began flickering betwixt Hermione and Ginny as if he could not decide who he was more astonished about. After Ron had looked scandalized at Ginny's outfit, he was rooted on the spot, speechless, as he stared at his best friend. Fred... well let's just say Fred looked very uncomfortable in his tight jeans as his eyes swept my outfit and then stared at my boobs for about two minutes, his mouth practically salivating. George was just laughing hysterically at his brothers and friend.

George shook his head. "Well, you certainly make things interesting around here, my dear little Blayne." Then, he pushed his brother into my open arms and grabbed the other two males by their arms.

"Let's get this party started!"

And then, all was in disarray. We had all been in agreement- tonight was a night to learn. The kids would be having their first tastes of alcohol, and possibly getting drunk for the first time, as well as being allowed to do anything they pleased as long as it wasn't going to make anybody else mad. And, to my surprise, everyone was taking advantage of the opportunity.

I had successfully made Hermione decide that she was going to, for once in her life, open up and relax. She might not have another opportunity since the war was beginning. She agreed, albeit a little reluctantly. Harry seemed to be in a similar mindset, and Ron and Ginny simply had little daredevil sides to them.

Therefore, everyone was soon drinking shots and slurping down the jell-o. It did not take long for each of us to get tipsy.

Ron was the first to get totally smashed. It took him all of an hour, and after he was drunk, he slurred his words and danced in such a manner that Hermione couldn't help but laugh and dance with him. She wasn't so sober herself, and George kept encouraging her to drink even more. Fred was unsteady on his feet and he was pulling at me to dance with him. When we did, he practically shagged me on the dance floor. Only I wasn't sober enough to realize it.

The next morning, I would remember little except that the flashing lights and buzz was intoxicating all in itself. The music was so loud it was rattling around in my brain and thumping in my body. It was too dark to see much except for the people next to you. I remember catching Ron and Hermione snogging at one point, but they were both so drunk by that time that neither of them would ever remember it later.

Afterwards, George asked Hermione for a dance, and I was shocked to see her boldly grind on his dick with her arse. He was clearly surprised as well, and Ron had passed out in a corner, so the two of them had quite a fun time for the next half hour. Ginny was trying to seduce Harry, and it would have worked if he didn't pass out two minutes into their snogging session.

Between Fred and I, we could power a whole city. The electricity between us was stinging and I found myself just about dragging him up the stairs. My alcohol-induced judgement didn't see an issue with it.

I remember at one point we played the Bertie Bott's All Flavour Beans guessing game, in which we all almost puked, and then almost going deaf because Harry and Ron had gotten a hold of the noisemakers.

At eleven forty-five, I awoke everyone and turned on the radio to the local magical station. Fred and George set up the fireworks as carefully as they could with their impaired judgement and Harry stood by the back door to open it as soon as the clock struck midnight to let the old year out.

"Five... four... three...two...one...HAPPY NEW YEARS!"

The cry was unbelievable. I don't remember much else because Fred's lips were on mine, seducing me with demanding kisses and desperate tugs.

With the final number, fireworks had exploded around us and the balloons had popped to sprinkle a deep layer of sparkles upon us all. I saw them only behind closed eyes as Fred swept me against him and lavished my mouth with hopes for a fantastic 1996. The lights of the colourful fireworks inventions that the twins had been working on for months soared against the backs of my eyes, the strong hands of my boyfriend closed around my waist. My nose smelt the sweet stink of gunpowder and my own arms locked around Fred's neck securely.

I stood on my tiptoes, but I reached the clouds as the whole of London shook with Big Ben's twelve strikes. My vision was hazy and my eyelids danced. My blood was on fire, though from the alcohol, enthusiasm, or Fred's touch, I wasn't certain.

I didn't know how long we stood there, but the cold air of the back door opening shocked me from my world. My eyes twinkled and I knew I was flushed when we parted. I turned to see our friends and family finish embracing and resume dancing drunkenly together.

Fred's eyes held a sparkle that told of devious thoughts. These same blue orbs lowered to appraise my form, and I felt his gaze on my neck, over his latest hickey, across my breasts, and down my shapely legs that were encased in the highest heels I owned.

Ignorant of the festivities around us, I grasped Fred's hand in mind and with a mischievous smirk and pulled him slowly up the staircase behind me.

The trip was a blur. I tried to be sexy, but halfway up the stairs my alcohol-addled brain teamed up with my clumsy tendencies and my feet fell out from under me.

Fred caught me easily. He scooped me up in his arms and my fingers laced behind his neck; seconds later, we were in his room.

I hopped out of his arms and stood by the door, closing it behind me quietly. I bit my bottom lip and raised my eyes from under my lashes to stare at him. I saw his throat contract as he gulped.

Slowly, I slid my hands to my collarbone. I let my fingers ghost over each bone before tracing the swell of my breasts lightly. I slid down the zipper on the back of the dress and sucked my lower lip between my teeth, staring directly into Fred's eyes the entire time. His gaze was heated and his eyelids lowered as he watched my movements.

The cloth pooled at my feet like silk. I carefully stepped out of it, my fuzzy brain making me bolder than normal. My silver heels stayed on as I strutted towards Fred.

His hands were twitching by his side and his manhood tented his jeans. I grinned deviously and stopped inches from his face. I leaned in to breathe across his lips, softly and quietly.

"Don't. Move."

He shuddered delicately beneath my fingers as I slid each button out of its hole. Then, I pushed the silk off his freckled, broad shoulders and watched with satisfaction as it fluttered to the floor.

I nudged him backwards and he followed my lead. I hummed in appreciation as I felt his hardness nudge against me. I slid my pointer finger around one of his nipples, across the smooth skin between them, and over the other one, scraping it lightly with my nail. He groaned, the sound so full of unfulfilled satisfaction it made my skin tingle.

Without warning, I grasped his jeans by the two loops at his hips and pulled him flush against me. We both moaned simultaneously when he knocked against all my pleasure points. I reached between us and impatiently yanked his zipper down, thrusting the fabric over his hips. Soon, he was almost as naked as I was, clad only in boxers.

Somehow, his boxers disappeared shortly after and I found myself latched onto Fred's mouth while I pumped his gorgeous prick. His hands were groping my arse and I groaned loudly.

I tilted him backwards, needed to feel him more intimately, and he held me to him so our mouths stayed attached and he could take most of the impact from the fall.

Sitting above him and straddling his naked, powerful thighs, I could understand why he liked being on top. I stared down at him and ran my hands through his dishevelled hair, whimpering with delight as his fingers did magical things to my breasts. It was such a powerful and controlling position. I could see all of him and do whatever I liked to him, whenever I liked. It was my turn to be the dominating partner.

"Now, Fred," I grit out as the fire threatened to consume me. He lifted my hips and I rasped his shoulders. Our lips moulded together and our tongues slid against each other in a pursuit of dominance. I positioned myself, with Fred's help, and in one glorious motion, I slid down Fred's cock until I was impaled to the hilt.

Perfect. This was the definition of home. The feeling of utter happiness spread through me as my nether regions tingled with fulfilment. I bit down hard, and then flung my head backwards as I let out a satisfying, unintelligible sound. Fred shuddered beneath me and I raised my hips to pull almost all the way out before falling back down. My New Year's hat had long since fallen off, and my hair tumbled around us and tangled, sweaty waves, shielding us from the world and creating a whole new universe between the two of us. I set a fast and furious pace, sliding and pushing and rocking against him and igniting a blazing fire between us.

Fred grunted each time I slid back onto him, and through my hazy eyes I realized I had bit his lip hard. I licked over the bottom, puffy lip and soothed it. His hands came around my waist to fondle my arse and his mouth kicked free of mine, suckling my left nipple and biting it with exactly the force that made me scream.

With a loud cry, I felt myself slip off the edge into bliss. My back arched and I gripped Fred's hips tightly with my legs as I drove him into the unforgivable wood floor. My slick passage spasmed around his long dick and I quaked above him before falling atop his chest, sated. He grunted and gripped the underside of my buttocks, lifting me roughly. The movement awoke my desire again and the friction against my clit made me whimper against his neck.

I felt the hard wood of the wall behind me, the cold making me yelp and shaking me back to earth. Fred was still embedded deep within me and he quickly began pounding me into the wall in search of his own completion. I locked my ankles around his waist, digging my pointy heels into his muscled butt. He growled and bit my shoulder, bringing me back to the edge quickly. I automatically clenched my inner muscles around his prick and he tweaked my clit in response. I gripped the soft hair at the base of his neck in a tight fist and splayed my other hand out on the wall to steady myself. One of Fred's hands held me up by the butt and another was braced on the wall above me, his head bent over my face.

I rhythmically clenched around him and he moaned, a long satisfying sound, licking my earlobe and quickening his pace.

I screamed."Merlin, YES! Oh, YES! Happy New Years, baby!" I trembled around his glorious dick for the second time that night and felt the perfect, utter perfection of orgasming with Fred seep to my core. I felt his warm cum permeate into my channel as I reached the heavens.

Somehow, we ended up in his bed. My heels fell off and I curled around him, exhausted.

"If that's an indication of how 1996 is going to be, then I can't wait," Fred muttered sleepily. I chuckled and let myself relax around him, sated and sleepy.

After I heard Fred's breathe even out, I slipped out from under the arm he had thrown across me to pad up the stairs. I had to fix everything up before Molly came home the next morning and bit our damn heads off.

The door of Buckbeak's room squeaked open. I found Sirius slumped next to his hippogriff, an empty bottle of rum at his feet and a half-empty bottle of vodka in his hands. I shook my head at his state. He was passed out, his hair falling in his face and his eyes adorned with deep bags underneath them. I picked up the bottles first and threw them into the bin in the corner (which I'm sure Lupin put there to keep up with how much Sirius was drinking). Then, I leaned down and slung Sirius's arm over my neck, carrying his dead weight and groaning under the stress of it. His eyes peered open at me and he started babbling incessantly, his words so slurred I couldn't make them out. I finally got him down the hall and into his own bed, his body tumbling from my grasp.

"_Andromeda_. Love you," he muttered, slowly falling back into sleep.

"I love you, too, Sirius." I didn't bother correcting him, reminding him that I was not my mother, because he was so drunk and so out of it that he wouldn't have registered the words anyways. Besides, thinking that I was my mum probably gave him the comfort he needed at that moment. He could pretend they were teenagers again, pretend he hadn't been locked in Azkaban and hadn't been tortured to near insanity, pretend everything was fine.

I smiled down at him grimly, wishing that he had gotten to live his life like the hero he was. Alas, fate had different plans for him. He would forever remain in the minds of the Order members as a valiant knight who strove to be a better person and to escape his birth name.

Turning, I left the room and threw Buckbeak a rabbit. She gobbled it up and looked at me gratefully. Then, I walked downstairs to find everyone else slumped over in the living room, the music turned off and instead replaced by the loud, drunken snoring that the boys offered.

I picked up George's wand and levitated each person, one-by-one, up to their beds. I was already falling asleep on my feet, too drunk and too tired to do the dutiful thing and carry each to their beds. Afterwards, I swished the wand to clean up the mess and used the banishing charm to put everything else back into my closet upstairs.

Lastly, I grabbed the vial of potion from the alcohol cabinet, all the way in the back, and separated it into nine separate tiny vials and poured nine glasses of pumpkin juice. Then, I levitated everything upstairs and set a glass of juice and a vial of hangover cure on each bedside table.

Finally, I curled back into bed with my lover. My duty as oldest, only-responsible-girl was over and I could finally enjoy the comfort that Fred's arms brought.

I slipped into unconsciousness before my head even hit the pillow. Fred was right. If this was how 1996 would be, I would not object in the least.

* * *

You make me feel  
Out of my element  
Like I'm drifting out to the sea  
Like the tide's pulling me in deeper  
Making it harder to breathe  
We cannot deny how we feel inside...

But the planets all aligned  
When you looked into my eyes  
And just like that  
The chemicals react

-Chemicals React by Aly and AJ


	28. Surprises

**Hey guys. So I have some news. For the next month I'll be in England visiting my family. I'll probably be writing a bit but I'll mostly be just hanging out. I'm really excited but dreading leaving you without an update for a whole month. sowwy.**

**Who else went to the midnight premier? Gah I was so darned emotional. I still am. There's much too much to write here, so just... guess. It's easy when you see what this story is about haha.**

**Okay whellll I lovee you all and I hope this is good. There's a major storm brewing, so enjoy the goo-goo love while it lasts :o that's all I'm saying!**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

**Chapter 28: Surprises**

_He never made it through a day of school_

_The only thing he studied was you_  
_He knows your body better than you do_

_Maybe I'm your Mr. Right_  
_Baby, maybe I'm the wrong you like_  
_Maybe I'm a shot in the dark_  
_And you're the morning light_  
_Maybe this is sad but true_  
_Baby, maybe you've got nothing to lose_  
_You could be the best of me_  
_When I'm the worst for you_

**_-Mr. Right by A Rocket to the Moon_**

The next weeks went by quickly. Soon we were back at Hogwarts, which wasn't as fun as it used to be.

My home-away-from-home was being ruled with an iron fist thanks to the omnipresent and hideous toad lady, Umbridge. Several new decrees had developed, including one banning teachers from helping students outside of class (which was unfortunate for Harry, who now had to sneak out to see Snape for Occlumency lessons), Hagrid was on probation, and the bloody bitch was now supervising Care of Magical Creatures and Divination classes. She was also getting tighter about displays of affection and banning all sorts of stupid little things, many of the twins's little products included.

As if that was not enough, it came to our attention that ten Death Eaters escaped Azkaban.

"No. _No_, this cannot be happening," the twins muttered gravely and simultaneously. I bit my lip, sliding closer to Fred on the breakfast table as the evil cackling of Bellatrix bellowed from the paper that lay flat out on the wood.

"The war really has begun, hasn't it? There's no escaping it now. We're all in danger." I raised my eyes from the gruesome pictures, shuddering; Fred was holding me tightly, protectively¸ and I was suddenly very afraid that I would lose him to one of these horrible people.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Blayne. I promise." Fred kissed me lightly, and I wished it would quell the gut wrenching fear that bloomed in my stomach.

George nodded and kissed my nose. "Yeah. Don't worry, my little billywig, we won't let anybody take you away from us. We're far too attached to you."

For now, there was nothing we could do about it. The only thing that made life bearable and stopped the overwhelming fear from consuming me was to throw myself into the DA with Harry and the others. Neville and Harry seemed to be of similar mindsets; now that the very people who had tortured Neville's parents to insanity were on the loose, he appeared to want to arm himself against these people lest he turn out like his mother and father. I didn't blame him.

Fred and George's middle namesakes had been killed by Antonin Dolohov, who was now on the loose, and Molly was sending them letters every other day to make sure everything was well. She was a wreck, scared of her family being hurt and still furiously sick over losing her two brothers, Gideon and Fabian. I couldn't imagine what she was going through.

Luckily, I was getting quite good at defending myself. I didn't know if it would help if I ever came against a Death Eater, or, Merlin forbid, Lord Voldemort himself, but it made Fred seem a little bit more relaxed and not as overprotective- something he had become very good at recently. It also made me feel better; I could protect myself and those I loved. My sister was an Auror, my parents were accomplished with their wands, my best friends had already proven themselves against obstacles nobody else could imagine, and my boyfriend was one of the best wandsman I knew (though he didn't like to apply his skills very often).

About a week after school began again, I got my chance for revenge. The sodding would-be-rapist was, surprise surprise, practicing Quidditch one evening when Fred and I were wandering the grounds. I found myself quickly spiralling out of control, and instead of using my head, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me. Needless to say, I hexed the boy until he lay bleeding on the ground in a crumpled heap. I remember the exact face Fred made when he leaned over the git.

"Poor little nancy boy, fell off his broom. Isn't that right, McClaggen? You _fell off your broom_, didn't you?" Fred's voice was the most menacing I had ever heard it; despite being totally soil-your-trousers worthy, it was also sexy as bloody hell. McClaggen rolled over and pitifully moaned in his pain, but he clearly got the idea because when he went to the Hospital Wing, he repeated to Madam P. exactly what Fred had told him.

Peyton and I had become more distant, and I sensed a change in her that I couldn't quite grasp. She was spending much more time with her other mates and I was bumming around with the twins now that things were back to normal. We talked occasionally in the dorm room and such but every time I brought up Fred she would get this angry gleam in her eyes. I tried to ignore it and rationalized it as simple jealousy.

January came and went, and February brought warmer and wetter weather. It was raining nearly every day. The days passed quickly until suddenly it was Valentine's Day. The lover's day would take place on Saturday, February 14, which also happened to be the next Hogsmeade trip.

To my delight, George finally mustered up the courage to ask Angelina to go to Hogsmeade with him for the holiday. All three of us had long since declared our utter hatred for that little teashop, Madam Puddifoot's, after we had gone all together in our fourth year to see what all the fuss was about; obviously, Fred and I would not be going there for Valentine's Day. However, George wanted to make the date with his crush utterly perfect, and thus, he would be taking Angelina to the tea shop and then to ice cream, followed by a spin in some stores. He hoped she'd at least give him a kiss for the sacrifice he was making.

I had forgiven Angelina a while ago for the innocent wrongdoings she had committed, like garnering a date to the Yule Ball that should have been mine and inadvertently making my first day back at Hogwarts suck because the twins and I got in a fight. She didn't do anything, and I came to realize that it was more the idea of her budding into our threesome than _actual_ her that bothered me the most. I really hoped she got together with George; they'd be quite the adorable couple. She would definitely balance him and vice versa.

Therefore, Fred and I would be on our own. He said he had a surprise for me. He told me that first we would have to do some errands, but after that the day would be ours.

I woke up that morning with a smile on my face, cradled in my lover's arms. Fred and I had taken to sleeping together most nights that we could, innocently because we each had roommates. Occasionally, we would find ourselves alone in a dormitory and sate our ever-present desires or go to the Room of Requirement. After we made love that first time, a torrent of emotions and wants exploded and it seemed like I just wanted to fuck him day and night. I found myself being intimate with Fred at least once a day. I still can't figure out how we did it though, with Umbridge and our mates hovering. At night, there was a fat chance that we could be together like that, so we did the next best thing and snuggled to sleep together instead.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Fred bent his head to kiss my nose and then my lips sweetly. I smiled into his mouth and squeezed his waist.

"Morning, my valiant wizard knight." I stayed in bed with him as long as I could before begrudgingly getting from the warm bed and bidding him a farewell to get dressed.

I took a quick shower and then checked out the window for the weather. Most of my roommates were already at Hogsmeade and it looked like it was a dismal, grey winter day. I pulled on a pair of distressed, light washed jeans and a super comfortable, v-neck, red sweater. I paired the outfit with my everyday neon purple wellies and my houndstooth coat. My hair fell in its normal, deep purple curls down to my mid-back with a few red highlights in it to be festive. I did my eyes up very dark and steamy with an accented bright red matte lipstick.

Peyton and I then walked down to Hogsmeade (after getting by grumpy Filtch) where she would meet up with her friends from Hufflepuff and I would find Fred.

I smiled as I caught sight of my red haired hunk. He stood at the entrance of town clad in the dark washed jeans and a pink button down.

"I've got a surprise for you."

Fred's hand outstretched towards me when we walked up to him. His hair was an utter, windblown mess and in that instance he was the depiction of sin. His smile dazzled me and I found my fingers automatically entwining with his.

Peyton flipped her hair over her shoulder and called to us without so much as another glance. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do." And then she was gone. She was acting rather jealous lately.

"That leaves a lot of options, doesn't it?" I said to Fred. He shook his head and leaned down to kiss me quickly.

"Happy Valentine's Day, love. You look gorgeous." I frowned when he pulled back after a candy-sweet kiss, but he just winked at me and pulled me in the direction of town.

I teased him playfully. "So what's my surprise then, Mister Sneakoscope? Do I get a prize if I guess correctly?" I swung our clasped hands and clutched my present to him in my other hand. He shook his head and laughed, nudging me with his shoulder as we walked down the cobblestone pathway.

We soon found ourselves in the dark, depressing alleyway behind Zonko's. I smiled, teasing him again. I snapped my fingers and tilted my head. "I've got it! You're going to ravish me in plain sight of anyone wandering into this alley. I knew you liked to show off but honey, don't you think this is a little extreme?"

"Oh shut up, Virgin Mary. You're not as virtuous as you like to pretend you are. I happen to know that you do this delightful little manoeuvre with your tongue-"

I shoved him and he fell into the wall, grinning. I rolled my eyes and couldn't help but smile back at him. He grabbed me and flipped me over so I was against the wall and sucked my lower lip between his mouth.

Unbeknownst to me, Fred grabbed the present in my hand and silently banished it to a secret location. I only realized he'd done if after I tried to pull him closer and found I actually could.

"OI! What'd you do with your gift? If you peaked, I swear, Fredrick Fabien, you will not be getting any sex for a month!"

"Oh don't get your panties in a bunch, woman! It's safe and I swear I haven't peaked. Were about to do something that Umbridge would definitely whip us for. Are you prepared to do something totally taboo to our resident evil?" he whispered scandalously in my ear, seducing me into the danger. I shivered and bit his lip, pulling it and tugging his mouth centimetres from mine.

My breath slid across his tongue and my lips brushed his as I spoke. "Good thing I'm a wicked lass then." He growled and grasped me to him, ravishing my mouth with such furiousness that I felt my knees buckle.

With a sudden jolt, we were twirling through time and space. We whizzed to an abrupt stop mere seconds after the sensation of apparation began. Breathless, I ripped my mouth from my boyfriend's to look around me.

_Number Ninety-Three, Diagon Alley_ blinked at me from the front window of a large, quaint, brick building. Next to the number was a brightly coloured, large sign declaring "For Sale". Fred and I stood on the doorstep. His fingers laced with mine once more and then he pushed open the wooden door, ignoring my questioning glance.

The inside was larger than you'd expect. A long counter was to the left with an old-fashioned cash register perched atop it. Behind the counter and against the back wall was a closet door. In back of the counter were shelves that reached to the ceiling, and there were shelves along each other wall as well. Little breaks in the shelving appeared every so often, large enough for a small table or poster.

The rest of the room was bare and full of possibilities. Facing the door and at the back of the store was a staircase.

"Whaddya think?" Fred asked me. His face reminded me of an eager cruppy.

"It's... perfect Fred. Absolutely brilliant." I found myself twirling around the shop, excitedly peering in every corner and imagining what joke item we'd place there. I pictured teh walls painted some outrageous colour and millions of tables littering the centre of the store, piled high with Skiving Snackboxes. I saw children running amongst the toys and tugging at their mother's robes for permission.

And I imagined Fred, George, and I behind the counter, a beautiful ring glinting off my finger as I rang up some excited eleven-year-old's purchase (that he would no doubt be using to torture Snape).

"You think so?" Fred's voice was full of tender hope, and his eyes were so bright with childlike wonder that I doubted that any decent person could say no to him.

"Yes! Merlin's beard, look at the place! I'm speechless."

"You haven't even seen the best part yet." Fred tugged me up the back stairs and to the door at the top.

"How could anything be better than this?" I said. I got my answer when he pushed the door open. Beyond the doorjamb lay a stunning little flat.

It opened right up to a kitchen with long marble counters, a white simple fridge, and cherry cabinets. A small sink was directly opposite the door with an enchanted window above it that showed the current weather (a dismal grey sky at the moment) though it was facing a wall out back. A ceiling fan and light fixture whirled above us. A small round table sat at the left, obviously the petite dining area.

To the left of the kitchen were two doors that Fred skipped over. Instead, he brought me through a doorway without the door on the same wall as the door to downstairs but to the left. Through the walkway was an adorable little living area.

There was no furniture in the room, but it had a plush carpet underfoot and a window at the front showing Diagon Alley below us, bustling with happy couples. It was large enough to fit a couch, loveseat, table, and perhaps a Muggle television set.

Fred's voice was still looking for approval. "Cute, right?" I didn't know what more I could say to convince him. The little flat was so charming!

I beamed up at him and squeezed our hands tightly. Leaning up, I kissed him at the base of his neck. "It looks too good to be true. After all these months of looking, I think you've found the one Freddie. Can I see the bedrooms?"

The bedrooms lay beyond the two doors by the kitchen. They were identical with a few differences. Each had a bathroom attached with a shower, though the one to the back of the building had a porcelain bathtub that even Fred and George's long height could stretch out in comfortably. The front room had a window overlooking the Alley instead of the tub. Again, there was little furniture, but with enough imagination I could see a queen bed, two bedside tables, and a loveseat in the corner.

Each also had a walk-in closet, a luxury for the size of the flat. There was plenty of storage room and it was the perfect size for the two twins and me when I got out of school. If George ever settled down, there was room for his girlfriend or wife as well.

"I adore it Fred." I kissed him, pulling him against me after we finished exploring the back bedroom. I had already mentally claimed the room for Fred and me, and now I silently christened the new building with my boyfriend. I knew it would take Mr. Diggles, our realtor, some time to actually procure the building and claim it as ours legally, but to me it was already ours.

"Good, because George and I bought it last week. She's ours, Blayne."

* * *

"Where are we going now, Fred?" I giggled, tripping over the unseen roots on the ground.

I could hear the smile in his voice even if I couldn't see it. "You'll see." Really? Well hopefully he'd take his hands off my eyes soon so I could, indeed, see.

His hands, draped over my eyes, prevented me from seeing where I was going. It was definitely an experience; I relied solely on Fred to get me to our unknown destination safely.

I wondered where he could possibly be taking me in Hogsmeade. Puddifoot's was illegal territory and Hog's Head was too dingy for Valentine's Day. The Leaky Cauldron would be way too packed and was too mainstream for us, so I knew that was out of the question. Of course we weren't going shopping or for a lovely stroll while I was blind. What did that leave? Not anything I could think of.

"We're here." A hard body stopped me from behind and the breath tickled my ear as he whispered in it. Slowly, the fingers impairing my vision fell away and I gasped.

We were standing in front of the Shrieking Shack. It was in the woods next to Hogsmeade, quite a ways away from the actual town. The snow had left a faint dusting on the ground, not enough to impede anything but just enough to add a little charm to the place.

Next to the shack was a small little tent. The flap was open and inside I could see that it was enlarged on the inside with a mound of blankets and pillows on the floor.

"After you, milady." Fred made a sweeping hand gesture and I curtsied, playing along.

"Why thank you, milord. You are most kind." I bit my lip and he kept the flap open for me until I was inside. To the right of the pillows was a glass of champagne in an ice bath, and beside that was chocolate covered strawberries. Both our presents were sitting in the tent.

But the most breathtaking of all was that there were rose petals. Everywhere. Littered over every little thing was a beautiful smelling rose petal. And to top it all off, the tent smelled as though it had been sprayed with amortentia. My mother's perfume, Fred's unique scent, coconut, and the smell when it rains filled the air around me (with a subtle hint of the scent of sex).

"Amortentia?" I asked, whirling around to Fred. "You know how dangerous that it!"

"Relax, love, it's something we're trying out for the shop. George and I are trying to isolate the unique properties of the potion that make it smell like that so we can turn it into a perfume for women as part of the Wonderwitch line. Does it work on you too?" He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder.

"Like a charm. Mmmmm Merlin it's delicious!"

"I smell explosions, the kitchen at the Burrow, and you. What do you smell?" Fred sat down on the floor and cuddled me to his chest as he lavished my neck with kisses. I collapsed against him as I relayed what I smelled. He smiled against my skin and I toed my shoes off, curling my feet against my butt and turning around to catch his lips with mine.

"Can I open my gift now?" I grinned up at him, kissing him again. Reluctantly, after getting caught up in snogging, we pulled back and I repositioned myself to open the gift.

I sat in front of him, our curled knees touching. He handed me my gift without any fanfare. We had promised each other we were going easy on the gifts for Valentine's Day. It was a day to treasure and to just be with your significant other, not for throwing thousands of galleons away.

When I opened up the handwrapped gifts, my heart thudded in my chest. It was a beautiful arrangement of items. He had given me a month's supply of my favourite chocolates and a gorgeous love poem. I won't repeat it here, but it made me get very sappy. Then, when I looked up and kissed him thoroughly, he produced a brilliant bouquet of red, red roses. There were a dozen in the arrangement and each one seemed like a romantic promise to me.

He opened mine and we both shared a secret look of desire. I had bought a little lingerie set from a Muggle store known as Victoria's Secret. It was called the Starry Babydoll and was the perfect mix of innocent and sexy (.com/ss/Satellite?ProductID=1265530558177&c=Page&cid=1308307884788&pagename=vsdWrapper). I leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"I promise that you will see me in this little number this week. After that, you get to keep it and tell me when to wear it." I licked the outer shell of his ear and nibbled a bit on the earlobe before releasing the flesh and coming around to his mouth. Then, I licked his top lip first and then his bottom lip. Finally, I allowed him to kiss me.

We made love slow and sweet. Fred slid my clothes off reverently and I undid his buttons one by one. When we were naked, I lay back against the pillows and he kissed every inch of skin on my body. We kissed throughout the entire coupling, and when he finally slid inside me I felt it all the way to my core.

We both reached climax at the same time, and I almost cried with the sweetness.

Afterwards, we lay in our mound of pillows arse naked. Fred fed me some strawberries and we drank champagne straight from the bottle. Fred and I talked about what it would be like to have our own shop and live in our own flat. We made love twice more before the end of the afternoon, and by that time the smells had worn off and were replaced by the overwhelming aroma of sex.

He played with my fingers as we laid in silence, soaking up the day and committing everything I could to memory. With the Death Eaters on the fringe of our happy little universe and danger lurking around the corner, I had promised myself to remember the happy things and cherish the little bits of heaven I got.

We kissed, long and sweet, like a drug that just kept keeping me addicted. A few weeks later would be our sixth month anniversary. I couldn't imagine it had only been six months. To me, it seemed like I had always been with Fred and I couldn't imagine a future without him.

The only question was, how long would that future last?


	29. The Way You Look Tonight

**HI GUYS! Oh my God, you all have my permission to come after me with pitchforks and burnt books and burn me at the stake. I am such a HORRIBLE author I can't believe I left you guys that long without updating.**

***gives audience a big hug* Please forgive me! I've had a crazyyy few months, but that's no excuse I know. Hopefully this UBER long installment will help my case a wee bit. I truly feel just awful about what I've put you through.**

**I promise to update more often. *slaps hand* I've been a very naught girl I know. Blayne is even coming after me with her teeth bared. She wants more time with Fred. Whoops.**

**Without further ado, I will give you Blayne and Fred once more! I apologize again! I REALLY DO LOVE YOU ALL!**

**-Audrey, your humble author**

* * *

I was so unbelievably proud of that scarred and haunted little boy. After all he'd been through – all he would be going through in the next few months or years- he still had the courage to stand up. He was so committed, so fully entrenched in his fight to kill that bastard murderer, that he would go to the ends of the earth to just convince the wizarding world that there was a fight brewing and a storm raging. No, he didn't just want revenge for the shite hand that he had been dealt; he wanted to save lives, too. This boy was all Gryffindor and no Slytherin, that was for sure.

I flipped through the magazine with a proud, beaming smile upon my face. It couldn't have been easy to talk about it, especially to the woman who's ugly name was plastered on the bottom of the article under _author_. But he did it. And now, not only would the Order have credibility to its story, but people could at least choose a side now that they knew both sides to the story. I flipped the page vigorously and ignored the paper cut that I got as a result. Not to mention, I thought, Harry Potter had now single-handedly made the Ministry look like the utter fools they were- Umbridge included.

Even Ron and Ginny had cheered up at the sight of the ridiculous paper sitting on our breakfast table. They had been so upset after the way Quidditch was going without my boys. At the end of the table, Angelina still looked like she was about to cry. No hope there then.

I had gotten to breakfast early, a feat because life was sucking recently, and when our beloved trio and my twins arrived, I was done with my small breakfast. I was later thankful for my early start when plates full of food went flying in response to all the ruddy owls chirping around Harry.

Fan mail. 70% of the letters claimed Harry was a stupid, attention-grabbing teenager, a claim probably aided by the fact that Harry was published in the Quibbler, a magazine known for its mad reputation. 10 percent was of two minds, not knowing what to believe, which Fred declared a "waste of parchment". However, that left twenty percent of the wizarding community that believed. Believed in Harry, in horror, in the upcoming war, in arming themselves against Voldemort, in the treachery of the Prophet and the Ministry.

"Harry, look at this one!" I flashed the letter around. ""Mr. Potter," -well, that's formal- "though I am now scared shiteless because I realize You-Know-Who is truly back, I thank you for showing my family and me our stupidity at believing that hot-headed Minister. You are a brave hero, sir". Wow, he certainly was truthful." I put the letter down and picked up another. "Blimey Har, listen to this! "Potter, you were right. Don't let it get to your head." That one is signed by a Ravenclaw's father. Merlin, if anyone's the twat it's his daughter, Claudia. What a-"

I was cut off by a rather obnoxious voice, so falsely sweet that it instantly curdled the milk I'd been drinking. I sniffed the drink and put it down, disgusted.

"What's going on here?"

I groaned and grasped Fred's hand beneath the table. We squeezed tightly, using each other as anger management.

"Why have you gotten all these letters, Mr. Potter?" She just had to spoil everything good, didn't she?

Fred read my mind. "Is that a crime now? Getting mail?" I bit my lip to stop from crying out at the pressure Fred put on my hand. I knew he was quick to fire up and hard to get back down, so I settled for distraction. The less trouble we received before the end of the year, the better. So my other hand landed on the inside of his though, inching up to his covered dick.

He sucked in his breath, eyes going wide. For the rest of the time the toad was there, I fondled him tightly through his trousers. When she finally left, not before giving Harry detentions and taking points from our house, Fred launched up from the table and dragged me to the abandoned, dark classroom on the second floor.

The door closed heavily behind me, and before I had a chance to say anything, Fred's arms were wrapped around my waist and his mouth was furiously moving over mine. His hands roughly ran over my body and pulled at my clothes. I smiled into his mouth and shoved him backwards into the wall. We didn't have a lot of time until classes and he was already primed and ready, so I decided it would be better to skip the foreplay.

His eyes flashed as I sensuously trailed my body down his, inch by inch, until I landed on my knees in front of his crotch. I felt his eyes on the top of my head as I roughly pushed his trousers over his hips just far enough so his happy little guy jumped out at me.

"Fredrick, if you make me late for classes, you're head is going to get some quality time between my legs."

After my warning, I wrapped my lips around his member and, in one bob, had him nestled down my throat and encased within my mouth. He groaned above me and I heard a thump as his head hit the wall behind him. I started a quick pace, grazing his velvet skin with my teeth and licking the slit on his head.

His hands threaded through my hair and massaged my head while I grabbed his sac and tugged roughly. He was making unintelligible sounds and mumbling above me, and the stimulation of his hand on my head- a erogenous zone he very clearly knew about and definitely used to his advantage- and the sounds he was making heated me up fast and furiously. _Besides_, I thought, _I should get to cum after breakfast too._

"Merlin! Right there, baby. Ugnnnnn... so tight... bAAAby... fuck me with a broom! Ahh so b-brilliant...t...t...ummm," he moaned.

I bobbed faster, my hand caressing his arse and my other sliding beneath my skirt. I couldn't take the pressure building up inside my stomach any longer.

"Fuuuck... Blaaayne." He shuddered and tightened his grip on my hair. I moaned around his cock and pleasured myself. I knew he saw what I was doing when he bucked into my mouth. He always got off when I helped myself. "I love th-aht... suck me! Urg, soo close!" He was panting now and I smirked, knowing that he was close.

I added a bit more suction and a harder edge to my tongue, knowing his rough preference. My own hand quickened, the encouragement and dirty words setting me off like a Filbuster. The stimulation added to the fact that I got raw pleasure just from knowing that I could do that to Fred made me practically putty in his hands.

Plunging my finger inside myself and grinding my clit into the cold floor, I felt myself let go. The difference of the temperature set me off and I found myself flying through the air. My mouth clamped down on Fred's length and through my star-struck eyes, I stared into Fred's crystal blue eyes as it dawned on him that I was cumming. Panting, I gave him one final suck, taking him down my throat and digging my nails into his ass at the same time.

With a loud growl, warm, salty liquid shot down my throat. I pulled back and sucked my boyfriend off until his hands fell away from my head and his dick softened. I licked the crest of his head for a few seconds, savouring the feel of him between my lips, before regretfully letting him slide from my grasp.

I kissed his slit before getting to my feet. In the back of my mind, I found myself wishing we could do this all day. I wouldn't mind staying in bed with Fred for an eternity... or the floor, for that matter.

I kissed Fred with a loud smack and wrapped my arms around his neck. Our foreheads leaned against each other as we caught our breath, the simple gesture ironically innocent in contrast to our previous activities. I found myself looking down at the floor where I had just serviced him and laughed. I idly wondered how many teenagers had been given head in that very spot.

Fred raised my face to his with a single finger under my chin and I smirked at him. "Now _that_ was a good breakfast. Much yummier than what I had at the Dining Hall this morning." I smacked my lips together and grabbed my boyfriend's hand.

"But seriously, if we're late for Charms, I am holding you to what I said."

All throughout the day, Harry's riveting article was the talk of the school. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing the words "Potter" or "Quibbler". You would think people would be a little more gracious about the whole thing. Merlin!

Though I guess that is a tad hypocritical.

"Harry certainly learned to stick it to the man," I cheered, holding up a Butterbeer (laced with Firewhiskey) to the crowd. Almost the whole of Gryffindor was in the Common Room, talking about the gorgeous shade of purple that Umbridge's face had turned earlier that morning and celebrating Harry on his triumph.

"Or the _woman_, as it were." Fred grinned over at me and I rolled my eyes, nudging him with my shoulder. He just smiled wider and slung his arm over my shoulder. I leaned into him and listened to the conversation around me.

George was fiddling with a bright blue, circular container. The twins were trying to use it to store their firework powder, but the grains of gunpowder were disintegrating the plastic. "Hey, Blayne was partially correct. Our little Boy Who Lived also made it pertinent that Fudge remove his head from his arsehole."

A loud snort came from beside him. I laughed at it and we all looked at the source of the sound. A horrified look on her face, Angelina's hand clasped over her mouth with a loud smack. I smirked at the older girl, who, in many ways, acted like a first-year. She blushed a dark crimson in response to her accidental noise of glee. George leaned over and pulled her hand from her mouth.

"I thought it was rather charming, Angie," he muttered. I rolled my eyes at their dramatics as the girl made goo-goo eyes at my best friend and snuggled closer to my boyfriend, playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"You know, George, after this morning, I'm beginning to wonder if the devil-in-toad's-clothing will stop at anything to get her way. First the bloody quill, then all her sodding rules, putting Hagrid on probation, and banning most of our joke products, and now taking points off Gryffindor and giving out detentions because Harry exercised his right of free speech!" Fred was making wild motions with his hands and nearly spitting, he was getting so angry.

George was quick on the uptake. "Yes, Freddie boy, I do see your point. Who knows what she will do next. What if she goes after our poor Puffskeins?"

"Oh _no_, not the Puffskeins George!" I laid the back of my hand over my forehead dramatically. "They are so innocent and adorable! We must do everything necessary to save the Puffies!"

Considering that the boys now had an entire corner of their dormitory roped off for their experiments with the little fur-balls, it was a rather good claim. I had become quite attached to the creatures and had even exercised my influence a few times to prevent the twins from hurting them.

"Exactly my point, young witch. Fred, I fear we may have to make a decision sooner rather than later."

My head swam. I knew what he was talking about. George wanted to leave. As soon as possible.

"Yes Georgie-boy, I understand. However, I believe it would be best to wait for the opportune moment, as it were. We are the Weasley twins. We entered life with a bang-"

"I still feel bad for your mum," I commented. The boys had peed all over the mediwitches the moment they were delivered. How horrified Molly must have been!

"-And we came to Hogwarts with our heads high and our trunks full of tricks-"

"Remember the first time we set off a firework in here? It seems like only yesterday," George commented wistfully, looking around him.

"-And therefore, it would be not only crushing to the population of our beloved school, but also morally and ethically wrong to leave this place with our tails between our legs because the time is _convenient_. No! I say we must wait until Umbridge is at her most powerful, the moment when she thinks nobody can touch her. _That_ is when we will undermine her superiority and tear down her preciously built rules!"

Fred ended his speech standing up with his fist in the air. Panting, he looked down to find us all staring at him rather bemused.

"How long do you expect us to wait, Fred?" George clearly wanted to leave badly.

"At least a month. Trust me; our exit will be famous across the Wizarding World. We, Fred and George Weasley, will be forever known as the men who took down that bloody toad. We'd finally make a name for ourselves in our family. Think about it Georgie!"

"You make a good point, Fred. Okay. We'll wait. But if she stares at me like that one more bloody time I swear I'm going to-"

Angelina shut him up by putting her hand on his knee. And then Neville, who sat in the corner of the room, changed the topic completely.

"Does anyone know when the next DA meeting is?"

* * *

March first. Our anniversary. It had been six months since I began secretly dating Fred Weasley. We were going to have a good day- it even started out fantastically.

I woke up in the arms of my boyfriend, the sun straining through the curtains around Fred's four-poster. The heavy red duvet on his bed only covered our lower halves but I didn't feel the cold pre-spring air chill my body. I silently recounted that Fred was like my own personal heater. He always seemed to be really, really warm.

I stared up at him, tracing and memorizing every detail of his face, and absorbed the feelings. The room was silent around me except for the slow and rhythmic beating of the heart under my ear. It was a comforting sound, one that reminded me that that heart beat only for me.

He was fast asleep and I knew exactly what he looked like. Eyes lightly shut, eyelids moving back and forth underneath in peaceful dreaming, a small smile playing upon his lips. His arm rested securely on the small of my back and I smiled to myself, loving the secure weight of it.

I adored these moments, when I didn't have to wonder what came next. I could just _be_. Be with him, be in love, be myself. No expectations, no worries, no fear.

Everything was simple in that dark bed. I knew the moment couldn't last forever, but I also knew that there was the promise of more moments in the future. And I couldn't wait until he woke up, because then I could kiss him and we could live our fairytale together.

"Stop staring at me, Blayne. You're increasing my self-esteem too much," he mumbled from above me, his voice gruff and laden with sleep.

"Sorry. You're just so fit." Sarcasm laced my voice.

"Oh, so that's why you're dating me, huh? For my good looks?" I could hear the grin in his voice.

"And the fact that you're wow good in bed."

I yelped as he jumped me and pushed me into the bed beneath him. He kissed me, efficiently stealing the breath from my lungs.

"Glad to know our last six months were based on my fucking abilities." He smirked from a top me and kissed my neck, peppering small little kisses intertwined with nips and licks. I wrapped my arms around his back, draped around his hips.

"And the free joke products."

He laughed into my shoulder and then proceeded to kiss me thoroughly. I pulled back after a while from lack of breath, and he nuzzled my cheek instead. I closed my eyes happily.

"Happy sixth month anniversary. I love you!"

We proceeded to make love, slowly and passionately. A little sleepily, yes, but it was perfect nonetheless.

Afterwards, when we were finally able to rip ourselves out of bed, we laughed and noted the marks on each other. I had a hickey on my boob, inner thigh, and neck. Fred had scratches along his back and a hickey on his chest.

I pranced around naked, singing loudly and off-key to a Frank Sinatra song. He snorted and pushed me slightly but enough so I fell off-kilter and ended up on the floor. I glared up at him and we both burst out laughing.

Classes were terrible that day. I couldn't focus; all my energy was spent thinking about what Fred was doing. I loved the way I could almost always know what he was doing or where he was. I would constantly think, _Fred would find that so funny_.

It was shaping up to be a pretty good day. Until the toad had to ruin everything… again.

It was just after lunch. Fred and I were going to the Common Room (well, actually we were going to his bedroom) because we both had free periods. My hand was on his ass and his was around my waist. I had my head tilted on his shoulder, laughing up at him. She stepped out of the shadows in front of us, a dark shadow on her face all creepy-like. She was such a nerd.

"Miss Andromache, Mr. Fredrick. What's going on here?"

Her voice was sickly fake and her face was twisted in a sadistic grin; she was so obviously happy to ruin our anniversary.

"Nothing, Professor. We were just going-"

Fred was cut off. How rude! "To do your homework. So of course you won't mind, Miss Tonks, if I borrow you tonight for detention, since you will have gotten your homework done. Jolly good! Meet me in my room at five if you please. And Andromache, you would do well to remove your hand from Mr. Weasley. At Hogwarts, that kind of inappropriate conduct will not be tolerated. Good day!"

She walked past us, a triumphant smirk plastered on her face. I felt myself shaking with rage, infuriated by her gall. The nerve of that woman! How dare she give me one of her stupid torture-detentions on the night of my anniversary! She got off on making everyone's' lives miserable. Well, mark my words, one these days I was going to show her a thing or two!

Fred tried to calm me down, but I had a better plan.

"Let's go _study_, Fred. I need to let out all this pent up anger. If she didn't like out display of affection _there_, we'll get out poetic justice by doing much worse in public where she can't give us detention."

When we got to his dormitory, clothes began to fly. I flung his shit somewhere behind me and tilted my head back to allow him easier access to my neck, moaning in the process. He got down to my bra and nearly ripped it off before throwing it to the floor. His trousers ended up on a lamp and my panties found their way under his four-poster.

Later, catching my breath and coming down from my amazing high, I realized why they called it a quickie. Not only did we have the most amazing sex in under ten minutes, but I came twice pretty quickly during said sex. We were both panting, and after the ferocious love we had just made, it took about five minutes for me to be able to speak.

The pure ecstacy of that moment starkly contrasted to later that night, when I could be found cursing and nursing a badly bleeding hand close to my chest.

"Bloody wench. She thinks she can torture her innocent students- children!- because they are acting like the children they are. I'm going to rip the broad down and tear her fucking fluffy fur balls from the walls and use them to serve her a taste of her own medicine! When I leave in a few months with Fred and George, I'll make sure we hit her something awful!"

Stunned, I stopped in the middle of the deserted hallway. Had I just said I was going to leave with my best friends? Leave the only school I'd ever known? I felt my heart thud beneath my chest. Contrary to my physical reactions at my slip up, for the first time in my life leaving Hogwarts did not sound terrifying. And I'm sure it had something to do with the dominating cloud of happy doom looming over my every movement. I imagined living in the flat in London and working with the twins in the shop. I could get my official wizarding degree after Voldemort was defeated. There really wasn't a major problem with leaving. Even my parents would support me in whatever I chose.

I realized in that moment that I had subconsciously decided to leave my sanctuary forever, mostly because of the fluffy pink horror story.

* * *

When I made my way to the Common Room to tell Fred the news, I was shocked to find The Fat Lady holding a little note.

"Echem...'Blayne'- that's you, of course- 'my love'," her face scrunched up at the letter and she appraised me with a slight roll of her eyes, reading in an overly dramatic voice, "'Follow the roses beneath your feet'-stupid boy, there aren't any... OH! Look dear! What enchanting magic!"

Sure enough, rose petals had appeared on the stone ground. I smiled, reaching down to pick one up. It fell apart in my hands, becoming sparkly fairy dust in the air.

"What a talented young man! Echem, back to the letter- 'They will lead you to me, my beautiful rose. I love you. Fred.' How romantic. Oh darling, do you think he would want me to sing my opera for you? Oh yes, so passionate!" And then she began singing to me.

"Thank you so much, Fat Lady!" I nearly had to scream at her over her horrendous performance of a Medieval Italian song. I waved and then turned, following the petals. Looking behind me, only fine sparkling air remained.

Merlin, was I lucky or what? He went to all that trouble just to make me feel special. I still couldn't quite wrap my head around the extent to which I loved him and him, me.

The petals brought me to the Room of Requirement. It opened up before me and I walked in.

There stood Fred in front of a single, round table with a while tablecloth atop it and a single candelabra in the middle. The lights were dimmed and old music was playing, the current song being one of my favourite Fred Astaire songs, _The Way You Look Tonight_.

My eyes caught Fred's and he smiled his quirky grin. I felt myself fall into his arms automatically, and he moved me to the music gently. He twirled me around the floor clumsily, but I didn't care. I laid my head on his chest and forget about everything except him.

His hand cradled my lower back to him, moving me against him sweetly. His other hand rested on my upper back, spanning its expanse and keeping me close. The music washed over me and suddenly we were flying through the stars to the melody of the Fred who sang this song originally. Above me, my Fred was singing along softly. I felt tears fill my eyes at the charm of the moment. I knew, in that moment, that there was no going back. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with the man who held me in his arms. I would never forget the feeling of that moment; I would never forget the feeling of being so utterly loved I couldn't bear it.

"_Just the way you look, tonight_." He whispered the last line into my hair and I looked up at him as the notes carried on. He leaned down to me and placed a gentle kiss on my lips, lingering there. Our eyelids were heavy and the tension between us amped up to a sizeable sizzle.

When the song faded to _These Foolish Things_, he led me to a chair at the simple table. When he sat down, a beautiful dinner appeared before us. I smiled over at him and he made a sweeping gesture with his hand as if to invite me to eat.

Dinner was one of the most delicious things I had ever eaten. The scrumptious dish of spaghetti sans the sauce was paired perfectly with a sweet pink champagne. For desert, a chocolate mousse with white chocolate swirls and a whipped cream top was the ultimate sin. Fred told me he had asked the kitchen elves to make it. "Don't worry," he said, "I made sure to give them a good tip."

We talked all night. About our day, about the future, about the past, about the school, and even about the weather. We always found something to say, no matter what. But for a long time, nothing needed to be said. We danced the night away in each other's arms and that was all we needed.

I told him I wanted to run away with him, and at first he was convinced I was joking. But after I explained myself, his eyes lit up and he grinned from ear to ear.

"I didn't want to push you to come with us, but I couldn't imagine if you stayed and we left. I hadn't even realized how much I wanted you to leave too until you told me you would." He kissed me slowly and I tasted his excitement and our delicious chocolate desert. To say it was erotic would be a huge understatement.

When my feet could no longer hold me up, we laid on a bed of cushions and exchanged gifts. He presented me with the most beautiful ring I had ever seen in my life. There was a single, white pearl nestled among a cluster of diamonds on a platinum band. I looked up at him in awe as I held the ring in its little velvet box.

"It's a promise ring. I promise to love you forever and I promise to be by your side forever as long as you love me."

I felt my eyes water and my lip quiver. He reached into the little velvet bed and plucked the ring out before grasping my right hand in his.

"With this ring, I promise to be yours for as long as you'll have me." He slid the ring onto my right ring finger. It fit perfectly and I immediately adored the secure weight of it.

I gave him a scrapbook of our life thus far. It had pictures from our baby years and notes that dated back to the first day we learned to write. It held memories and random tidbits from eons ago that meant something to me and, I hoped, to him.

Afterwards, we ended up naked among the pillows. We made love there, for the third or fourth time that day. We ravished each other thoughout the night, unhurriedly, carnally, devouringly, and beautifully. When we finally fell asleep, we were covered in sweat and exhausted and I had lost track of how many orgasms I had had.

You might call me a hopeless romantic, and you might say I've got my head in the clouds, and you might even think that I'm brutally naive, but in that moment I didn't care because the only person who mattered thought I was perfect, and _I _was perfectly happy to share his point of view.

**Yeah yeah yeah, totally the hopeless romantic in me. Sorry about that corniness. Anyways, let me know what you thought! I'm so sorry again! And to see Blayne's ring, go to and search "cultured pearl white gold ring" (it's the third ring that comes up). Review please!**

**Xoxox**


	30. Pain and Regrets

**Holy Hell. I am soooo sorry that it took me this long to update. I feel just awful. I know it's no excuse but I've been mega busy... and HAPPY BELATED THANKSGIVING to all my American readers. :) And HAPPY BELATED THURSDAY to all my other-country readers :)**

**This is a painful chapter... and kind of overly dramatic, but it needed to happen to them. I've had this planned for a while now.**

**I hope you don't hate me now...**

**I love you all!**

* * *

Pain.

I was numb to it, yet I felt it so acutely I couldn't stand it. Scorching water pelted down on my shoulders, mixed in with my own hot tears. I sat in the shower with the water pounding painfully. Whenever my body adjusted to the temperature, I would make it even hotter. I couldn't think straight and my body wracked with sobs as I convulsed in a panic attack.

My mind whirled and my breath came in gasps. Everything twisted. My heart stuttered and pounded beneath my chest. My legs were bent and folded to my chest in a futile attempt at shielding myself from the mistakes I had made and how I had paid. And now I suffered the torture of replaying everything in my head.

It had been four weeks, give or take a few days, since our anniversary. I thought back to how that night was the moment I decided I wanted to go with the boys and leave Hogwarts. I felt the tears drip onto my hand as I realized that had been the moment I gave up.

For four weeks, I had failed school. True, four weeks wasn't such a significant amount of time. Twenty-six days was a blink of an eye in the scheme of things. But in that time, I had ruined any chance I had had of getting into my dream job at the Ministry, which Fred had so kindly pointed out to me not more than an hour before.

I had totally given up. I remembered spending more time worrying about what colour hair to wear that day than if I had even written down my homework, let alone completed it. The way I figured it, it was pointless to get straight A's when I would be leaving in a few months. They wouldn't matter anyways.

My grades took a dramatic drop. Suddenly, my A+ in Charms turned into a C- and I was failing Potions. Firenze, who had taken over Divination after Trelawney was sacked, came up to me one day and asked if I was feeling okay.

Even Dumbledore was taking measures. He had called me to his office one evening and demanded to know what had happened to one of his top students. I told him the truth. Umbridge had so deteriorated my sanctuary that I was planning on leaving; I didn't find it necessary to excel in classes anymore. He spent the next hour and a half persuading me against leaving, which I thanked him for and told him my decision hadn't changed. In response, he told me he was always available to talk to.

And my parents, my loving, wonderful, supportive guardians, had sent me a Howler at breakfast one morning. They were disappointed in me, they said. They didn't understand why I was failing. I was so bright. They had written me before to make sure I wasn't sick or anything, and when I had told them I was just done with school, they did what any reasonable parent would do. Hence the Howler.

I started drinking with all the free time I had. I listened to music loudly and obnoxiously, screwed my boyfriend whenever he was free, and snuck out at night just for the thrill. I played a game with myself- every night I would do something riskier to see if Filtch or his blasted cat would catch me. They never did, and I kept playing the game. As far as I was concerned, I was winning.

I didn't see the issue with my life. I was having fun; I was living on the edge. Nobody could catch me, nobody could stop me… eventually, everybody stopped trying.

Except Fred.

At first, he thought it was funny. He loved the new me. He got drunk with me and, as a teenaged male, was ecstatic about all the sex. He didn't even blink at my new grades. Everything was great… until it didn't stop.

I just got worse. I got drunk at least four times a week and I threw away the small amount of money I had on new clothes, music, and alcohol. I became addicted to the sex, to the adventure of sneaking out late at night. I slept through my classes and stayed out until five in the morning during the night. My grades became deplorable. And Fred got concerned.

It got so bad that I was barely going to a class a day. Whenever I saw Fred, I was either drunk or trying to fuck him. I didn't realize it, but he did- I couldn't keep going like this forever. Something had to give.

Thinking back on it now, I realized that it wasn't all because I decided to leave the school. I was scared. Scared of losing my sister, my parents… terrified of seeing Fred, battered and broken, on the floor. The upcoming war was so new, so beyond anything I had ever had to deal with. My short life had been filled with love, laughter, and no worries. My greatest fear had been Fred breaking up with me.

All of a sudden, my safety blanket was pulled from under me. I didn't know when Voldemort would attack, I didn't know what was going to happen when he did, and I certainly didn't know who I would lose when he went after Harry. I didn't even know who the fuck I could trust at my own school.

It was sort of my own, poorly constructed coping mechanism. And it backfired.

I turned the heat higher. I wanted to feel it, to remind myself that I was still there. The sobs were subsiding by now and my breath was slowing down, but I couldn't bring myself to stand and leave the shower. I didn't want to face the dormitory of girls that would stare at me, the judgmental stares and the whispered giggles. I felt numb, remembering how I had ruined my chances at a future in the Charms department, reliving the disappointment in my parents' voices, and, worst of all, seeing the anger and confusion in Fred's eyes.

As I replayed the shouts that Fred had delivered so harshly, I slid against the wall and rested my overheated cheek against the shockingly cold tile. My back rested against the wall and my legs fell away from my chest, curled around to my butt instead. My eyes caught sight of my razor.

I picked it up, slowly. I didn't know what compelled me to do it, but as my ears rang with my boyfriend's screaming, I slid the metal across my thigh. To my surprise, I didn't feel anything except relief. I found a way to expose my self-hatred. Red liquid slid across my skin and fell away, mixed with the steaming water. The heat on my fresh wound stung, but I reveled in the pain. I had made so many people worried. I deserved to feel some pain. I had been so selfish.

"_You could have come to me. I could have helped you. But instead, you turned to alcohol. You chose to drown your sorrows in firewhiskey and loud music and dangerous acts of defiance. Didn't you ever think about how you were affecting me?"_

I knew he wouldn't be happy with me for hurting myself. He was already so angry with me. So upset that I had been selfish, that I hadn't thought about how I was affecting him. Why hadn't I thought about Fred?

"_I've always been here for you, Blayne. We could have talked about it. Do you know how worried I was? Every second I was scared you would go too far, you would drink too much. Did you ever even think about how scared you made me?"_

I hadn't.

I pressed the cold sharpness into my thigh again, smiling at the blood that pebbled from the injury. I made sure not to cut too deep… just enough to feel something.

"_You're self-destructing. I don't think I can watch you do that to yourself. I don't think I can stay here Blayne. I love you too much to sit by and watch you kill yourself. It hurts too much."_

Did that mean it was over? It couldn't be over. I would show him that I could be better.

My eyes shot open. When had I fallen asleep? The water was freezing and my body was ice cold. My teeth chattered and I leapt up, dropping the razor, to shut off the water. What time was it? What had I done?

I stepped out of the shower and stared at myself in the mirror. My hair hung around my face in wet snarls, my eyes had heavy bags under them, and my lips were white and thin. My face was pale… too pale. I wrapped a towel around my body tightly and winced as the terrycloth grazed my right thigh.

Looking down, I was shocked to find three red, raw lines drawn across the white skin. Had I really done that to myself? My fingers ghosted over the painful reminder of my breakdown just a few moments ago.

I stared at my face in the mirror again. Fred had been right. Something needed to change. I couldn't keep this up anymore. My brief escape from reality had destroyed my relationships and scared my loved ones. It was time to grow up.

Staring resolutely into the dirty glass atop the sink, I made a promise to begin righting the wrongs that I had committed during my month-long escape from reality. Starting tomorrow, I would fix things.

I slid into bed, exhausted. I knew there wasn't anything I could do to reverse everything that happened that night, so I settled for getting my first good night's sleep in over a month.

I fell asleep almost instantly. Later, I would be completely infuriated that I didn't notice how Peyton's bed was neatly made and undisturbed.

* * *

When I woke up the next morning, I knew the first thing I had to do was set things straight with myself before I could fix things with Fred. I stood up on unsteady legs and walked to my closet, determined to fix everything I had ruined. I pulled on a long-sleeved sweater, my Gryffindor vest, and my pleated skirt and knee-highs. With a flick of my wrist, the little corner of my room cleaned itself. I relaxed my face, and when I looked in the mirror, my hair was its regular, curly burgundy and my face was pale and neutral. I was me.

Next, I grabbed all the alcohol in my little cubby and walked to the bathroom. Staring morbidly at the sink, I tipped each bottle down the drain and watched it swirl and disappear. Oddly, I felt a sense of relief. I didn't have to worry about it anymore. It wasn't a part of my life and couldn't destroy anything else that I loved.

Then, I grabbed my books and sat down. I would do all my missed work, hand it in to my teachers, and then go find Fred. Hopefully by then he would have calmed down and I could profess my self-hatred and sorrow to him.

Seven hours later, I was starving, exhausted, and my hand had long-since gone numb, but I had a whole pile of homework and a positive new outlook.

I skipped down the hall while everyone was at dinner and placed the work and a note on each professor's desk. The note simply detailed my apologies and stated that I had gone through a bit of a breakdown.

After I finished, dinner was over. Everyone was in their common rooms. I walked through the portrait hole with a smile on my face.

Harry was the first to see me. When he looked up, he went quiet. Then Hermione looked up, and soon after, the entire commons was silent. I shrugged and looked at them all.

"I'm sorry for how I've behaved this past month. It was inexcusable and I hope you can forgive me." I ended it by looking at George, and was startled to see that Fred was not next to him. George nodded to me and waved me over. Everyone started talking again, and I knew I'd be the center of gossip for a while.

"Hey B. Fred's in our room. We can talk later, but I'm just glad you're back love." He stood up and hugged me, then kissed my cheek, and I almost cried at his actions.

"I love you Georgie. I'm so, so sorry."

I turned to the stairs and took them two-at-a-time. Standing outside the boy's dormitory, I squared my shoulders and took a deep breath. I just had to remember that I loved him and he loved me and that was all that mattered.

I opened the door and found my love laying face down on his four-poster. I walked over to the bed and sat down next to him. Tentatively, I reached a hand out and rested it on his shoulder.

"Fred?"

With a gasp, he jumped up and launched off the bed. I recoiled my hand as though I'd been stabbed. He stared at me with wide eyes and I bit my lip.

"Baby?" I reached my hand out to him and he stepped back like a frightened baby Horntail. "I'm here. It's me. I-I love you."

"Blayne." His fists tightened at his sides.

He was scaring me. He couldn't hate me, could he? I was sorry! I would do anything to make it up to him. Merlin, just please don't let him give up on me. Please, please God. I'd give anything just to make Fred love me again.

"I'm so, so sorry Freddie." I stood up and walked to him. He tried to back up more, but I finally got to him when he was against the wall. I would make him see. I'd prove that I was normal again. I was okay. It was okay. I grabbed his hands with mine and squeezed. His eyes welled up about the same time mine did. "Fred? Listen to me. I'm going to make it up to you. You just have to see. Believe me! I hate myself for what I did to you. I was stupid, young, foolish. I take back everything I said, everything I-I did."

He was shaking. I took it for subdued rage. He was still mad at me. "Please don't be mad, or frightened, or whatever you are right now. It's just me. I'm back. I went through a rough patch, but you were there with me. You never let go of me, and I love you so much for that. You've always been there. And I ruined that. I destroyed your trust in me, and I promise to make it up to you until the end of time. If it's the last thing I do, I'll make you see that I love you. Trust me."

I was crying now. He had tears running down his face, too, and his hands were tightened around my own. "I-I don't deserve you. You're too g-good for me, yet you stay by my side through everything. Merlin, Fred, just one more time, just stay with me through this and I… I promise I'll never hurt you again."

He suddenly wrenched his hands from mine and threw himself against the wall. With a loud _crack_, his fist thrust against the stone wall. I jumped. "No Fred!" I ran to him and pulled him against me, holding his bleeding fists in mine. "Don't hurt yourself. It's my fault. Let me hurt, not you." I turned him to me and cradled his head against the top of mine.

"NO! You don't understand, Blayne. It's not you, it's **me**!" He jumped away from me again and I started sobbing in earnest. He hated me. Oh God, what did I do?

"What are you talking about, Fred? Don't do this, I-"

"NO BLAYNE! Don't you see? I was the one that hurt you, and you don't even know. Oh God, oh Merlin, what have I done?" He moaned and crumpled to the floor in front of me, pleading with his eyes. He was crying and shaking and I couldn't understand how I could have destroyed him this much.

"Baby, no, no…" I fell on my knees and reached for him one final time more.

"BLAYNE, stop! Let me… LET GO OF ME!" I recoiled and stared at him through foggy eyes. He was yelling again. But instantly, his voice dropped to a low whimper, and he spoke four, broken words that destroyed me.

"_I slept with Peyton_."

My heart stopped, my breath ceased, and my body shut down. I fell over, staring without seeing, and the last thing I could remember was the loud, broken sobbing of the only person who could devastate me so thoroughly that my body could literally not handle it.

* * *

I woke up days later in a hospital bed. Some things in life are just so emotionally annihilating that you're body just can't handle it. That was my first experience with a coma-like-state. It would not be the last.

* * *

_yesterday i found about you_

_even now just looking at you...feels wrong_

_you say that you'd take it all back, given one chance_

_it was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

_you should've said no, you should've gone home_

_you should've thought twice before you let it all go_

_you shouldn've known that word, bout what you did with her would get back to me..._

_and i should've been there, in the back of your mind_

_i shouldn't be asking myself why_

_you shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet..._

_you should've said no, baby and you might still have me_

_you can see that i've been crying_

_and baby you know all the right things...to say_

_but do you honestly except me to believe_

_we could ever be the same..._

_you say that the past is the past, you need one chance_

_it was a moment of weakness and you said yes..._

_i can't resist...before you go, tell me this_

_was it worth it..._

_was she worth this..._

-Should Have Said No by Taylor Swift


	31. The Healing Process

_**!IMPORTANT INFORMATION!**_

**Hey everybody. Um, I really don't have any words to say how sorry I am for neglecting this story and all of you. I do have an explanation, however. I fell in love about 7 months ago, around the time I stopped editing. When I love someone, I find it hard to write a love story where I place myself in the woman's shoes, ie, Blayne. Therefore, the story fell by the wayside. I couldn't write about their breakup when I was so happy.**

**About 2 weeks ago, my boyfriend broke my heart. That made this story somewhat easy to write. I'm sorry for ignoring everything. I hope it won't happen again. **

**Also, as you may know, there are now images that I can attach to my story. I have a wonderful banner made for me by SeekerRiddle, but I cannot use it because it does not fit the correct dimensions. If anybody loves this story and has a bit of free time, I would LOVE you to death if you made me a banner! The dimensions are 6:9 ratio, or 300 width by 450 height. **

**Again, I'm sorry and I really hope you read this. I'm trying here guys.**

**So sorry,**

**Audrey**

* * *

**Get Down on Your Knees and Tell Me You Love Me** by All Time Low

_I've been played a fool four, three, too many times and when did lust for you become an organized crime? I try to keep you honest, babe. But I was just a pawn. You played the part so well, it hurts to know you're gone_

_Did you mean it? Could you feel it when you broke into my head? Did you fake it just to break another stranger in your bed? Was it worth it? Was it perfect when you up and left me cynical? Like you planned it, you're a bandit. Just a no good, two bit, filthy, rotten criminal._

_Let me count the ways; I six, seven, ate my words. Right from the silver plate, we checked in, checked out, checkmate. I couldn't keep you honest, babe. 'Cause I was just a card you played. We draw so well, it hurts to know you're gone, you're gone, you're gone_

_Did you mean it? Could you feel it when you broke into my head? Did you fake it just to break another stranger in your bed? Was it worth it? Was it perfect when you up and left me cynical? Like you planned it, you're a bandit. Just a no good, two bit, filthy, rotten criminal._

_Did you mean it? Could you feel it when you broke into my head? Did you fake it just to break another stranger in your bed? Was it worth it? Was it perfect when you up and left me cynical? Like you planned it, you're a bandit. Just a no good, two bit, filthy, rotten criminal._

_Did you mean it? Could you feel it when you broke into my head? (I couldn't keep you honest, babe) Did you fake it just to break another stranger in your bed? ('Cause I was just a pawn you played) Was it worth it? Was it perfect when you up and left me cynical? (I couldn't keep you honest, babe)Like you planned it, you're a bandit. Just a no good, two bit, filthy, rotten criminal._

* * *

My mother once told me that it is the ones we love who destroy us. I never understood how that could be. The people who we love are supposed to care for us and nurture us, right? At least my _parents_ had forever.

It took me sixteen years to fully grasp the concept. But eventually, I did. My mum first discovered this when she was in love with my dad and her parents disowned her for it. My own breakthrough wasn't quite as bizarre, but was, in its own way, dramatic enough. Your whole world shifts when you understand this concept. All my ideas of a true love and a perfect life were turned ass over head.

I think that it's because we give ourselves over to the person we love so completely. We trust them, plain and simple. We let down our walls, we open the gates of our hearts to that one person, and just when we think we're making a castle within those walls, we're thrown in the dungeon. Just when we think that our lives are going to be perfect forever, reality comes crashing down on us. It's the danger that comes with love. There's always the potential that we're going to be hurt.

I didn't realize it for years. Some people don't figure it out until their sixth divorce. Some people discover the painful truth from others, some people from books, some people from friends' mistakes, but more often than not, it's the result of pain: finding out through an aching and tormenting personal experience.

But _eventually_, along the lines, we all realize that love is a beautiful _and_ terrible thing.

* * *

I had decided I needed space. After that fateful day, and the sickness that followed, I had gone to spend a few days with my mom and dad at home. The "holiday" was not just to help me pick up the pieces of my shattered heart, but it was also a chance for me to recover from my disastrous month and the harm I had done not only to my mind but, more noticeably, to my body. My parents were disappointed with my choices, as any parents would be. Because I knew I had made a grave error in judgment, I spent most of my time alone, licking my wounds and taking potions to heal the destruction I had done to my liver and my legs.

I stayed there for a week. By that time, I was as good as new… at least physically. Emotionally, I was still abraded and torn inside. I was mad that I had overlooked Peyton's willingness to destroy me. I was confused as to just exactly _how_ the man I loved could so purposefully slap me across the face. I felt alone and stupid. I had to confront these feelings as I journeyed back to Hogwarts. I no longer knew what I would do with my future. Would I love Fred? Would I go back to Fred at all? Could I love him still, want to marry him still, trust him still, after what he had done to me?

I fell into the comforting arms of my best friend since birth. George was with me through the entire ordeal of re-finding myself. He urged me to keep up my grades and become myself again. With George's love, I crawled out of the dark and deep hole I had fallen into. With George's acceptance, I learned to love myself again. And with George as my backbone, I found my independent soul and I reclaimed my heart from the Fred's claws.

With George, I went through the five stages of grief. Grief over what I had lost, grief over how stupid I had been, grief over the pain that had settled into my soul. I had been through denial at home as I healed. I couldn't talk about it, couldn't tell my parents what had happened. If I said that Fred cheated on me with one of my best friends, it would make it true. For a week I forced myself not to think about it, not to let it be true. And that denial came crashing around me when I stepped out of Dumbledore's office, where I had come through from my parent's house. George was waiting for me on the other side of the office… but Fred wasn't.

"George." I stared at him, my eyes slowly filling with tears as reality once again set in.

"Hey babygirl. Come 'ere." George folded me into his arms as I fell apart. My trunk fell to the ground with a bang as I clung to him. His arms felt so familiar, so comforting, so deceptively Fred. Only, at the same time, I knew it wasn't Fred, knew it by touch alone. George had a less definitive muscle structure, one that was more comforting and subtle. He also had a different smell. Instead of the rough, explosive scent that tinged Fred's skin, George carried a more calm, woody allure.

He held me as it all came crashing back onto me, like a wave on the shoreline. He calmed me with words and incoherent mumbles of love and rubbed my back as I clung to him. Eventually I went slack in his arms and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Georgie. That's not exactly how I wanted to say hi." I gave a weak smile and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. "Hi best friend. Long time no see."

"You know, if you're gunna greet me with a hug and a kiss like that, you can cry all you need to." His eyes glinted down at me and the corner of his mouth tipped up. I laughed and shook my head, moving back to look at him better. "Wanna tell me what that was all about?"

"I just… it just sunk in." I shrugged and threaded my arm through his. We started walking down the staircase, George holding my forgotten trunk in his other hand. He nodded but otherwise kept silent and stared ahead.

"How… how is he?"

"Babygirl, do you really want to go down this road?" He looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he navigated through the treacherous staircase.

"Is he…" I took a deep breath, "Is he with her?"

George let out a bitter laugh. "Not in so many words." I could tell there was so much more he wanted to say.

"But?"

"Look, Blayne, sweetie." He stopped and pulled me over to a window, sitting me down on the alcove. George started pacing in front of me. "Fred… Fred has strange coping mechanisms. I've lived with him for seventeen years and his reactions still confuse me. He does things that are inappropriate and that hut the other people around him. When something bad happens, he thinks of only himself. I can't defend him anymore. The things he's doing… he's hurting everyone I care about. I haven't talked to him since the day after you left."

"What is he doing?" I stared at him calmly, waiting for an answer that I knew I didn't want to hear. It was the calm before the storm, and both George and I knew it.

George stopped in front of me, biting the inside of his mouth. "He's sleeping around, B. He's back to his old ways."

He waited for me to do _something_, anything. But I couldn't react. It wasn't like I hadn't expected the answer. It wasn't like I didn't know what the real Fred was like. "Oh." My only reaction.

"Babygirl? Are you okay?" He put his hands on my shoulders and tilted my chin up to look at him.

"I'm fine George. I would just like to go to the Common Room now." I jerked my body out of his grasp and stood, walking down the stairs ahead of him. I couldn't let myself think about this, not now. I was so tired of crying. Anything but crying, I told myself.

I got to the door to the Gryffindor Common Room and turned to see George behind me. "Hey. I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"It's okay." He flashed me his quirky grin and I smiled back. "Are you ready for this?" he asked.

"I hope so. I'm going to need you though." I grabbed his arm and gripped it tightly.

George smiled at me and told the Fat Lady the passcode. "You know, now that Fred's officially the World's Biggest Arse, maybe I can finally have my turn with you. Fancy a shag with the better twin, my dear?"

I caught myself laughing hysterically at the face he made and the arm gestures he used. He winked at me cheekily and bent down to whisper in my ear. "The offer's always good. We could all use some sympathy shagging now and again." I giggled and slapped him lightly on the arm.

It was only when I looked away from George that I realized he had distracted me enough to get me through the door and to a comfy chair on the other end of the room. We sat down and I took a deep breath and allowed myself to look around. It was right after supper on a Sunday night, so the room was fairly busy, and nobody had seen us come in.

George followed my eyes and scowled. "Come on B, let's bring your trunk upstairs. I can help you unpack."

"'Kay Georgie." I numbly let him drag me to the girls' stairs, but I couldn't force my eyes away from the scene in front of me.

Fred had his arm around Calista's waist while holding Peyton sideways on his lap. He was snogging Calista, but it looked like he was also busy under Peyton's skirt. Peyton was gripping the back of his hair, and Calista had her hands running up and down his chest.

I felt bile rise in my throat and fury in my heart. Images flashed behind my eyes as I remembered giving myself to Fred for the first time, and the first time he kissed me, and the first time I let him see me naked. I remembered the feel of his fingers between my legs and his lips pressing into mine, felt the hard edge of his body as he pushed into me, over and over again. Then I watched from the sidelines, in the doorway, as I imagined him pounding into Peyton over and over again, the bed shaking with the force of his body, shouting out her name, her nails digging into his back. All this as George floated above the staircase, holding me close to him.

He pushed open the heavy dormitory door and helped me inside. I suddenly looked at George. He had pushed me onto my bed and had opened my trunk for me, and he started to unpack my things.

I fell onto my knees beside him. "George?" He looked over at me.

"Yeah babygirl?"

"Make me forget."

I leaned over, watching his face. His eyes stayed locked on mine as they drifted to his lips. And then our mouths connected. There were no fireworks, no blissful feelings of love and hope. But there was comfort. Here, in George's body, I could find comfort knowing that George loved me, that he would always be there for me. And he didn't stop me. I didn't know if he wanted to be with me, or if he was just trying to help me heal and forget. But it didn't matter. In that moment, Fred disappeared like invisible ink flowing from a quill.

I pulled myself closer to him and let my instincts take over. My hands twined into his ginger locks and my body pushed itself closer to his until our chests were touching. He slowly got more eager, pushing and pulling at my lips, using his tongue to tease and prod my own. I pulled his face closer to mine, seeking more. His hands reached under my ass to pull me on top of his lap, wrapping my legs around him.

"George," I sighed. His hands cupped my arse as I let my hands lift up his shirt and feel his hard body. I spanned my hands across his bare back and he dragged my ass forward and brought me over his erection. We both gasped when we touched through our clothes, and I rocked forward against him, loving the friction.

"Merlin, you're so sexy Blayne." George, out of breath, tore his mouth from mine and let it wander down my neck. He licked and sucked, not hard enough to leave a mark but just hard enough that I felt it. I whimpered and unlocked my arms from his body to lift the shirt over my head, leaving me in just my bra. He pitched me backwards so I was laying on the ground and moved into my open legs.

His mouth descended on mine once more. I grabbed onto the back of his neck and kept his head where I wanted it, while at the same time I hitched my leg over his hip and felt his hardness connect with my clit through the clothing.

"George?"

We hadn't heard the door open, but the voice told us that someone was in the room. I let my head fall back, swivelling around to see who the intruder was, angry that I had been pulled back to reality.

And it would be by some cruel trick that the very reality I was trying to escape was standing in the doorway. Fred and Peyton, the last two people I ever wanted to see again, stood in the doorway. Peyton, her shirt falling off her shoulder, looked on with bemusement. It was obvious her undergarments were long gone, and her hair was dishevelled. Fred's pants were unzipped and his shirt unbuttoned. He stared at the scene before him, at first with confusion, growing angrier by the second.

"Oh this is just _rich_! The whore who wasn't good enough for the better twin and the second-rate Weasley brother. What a match you too make!" Peyton cackled.

It was as if someone had poked me with a hot iron. George had leaned away from me long ago, and I finally sat up and reached for my shirt, throwing it on top of me. I wasn't embarrassed, which surprised me. I was just angry.

"How could you George? You're my _brother_!" Fred wasn't quite shouting, but he wasn't being quiet either.

George stared calmly at the scene before him. "I've been meaning to talk to you about that, actually. I don't think I want to be brothers with a cheating bastard anymore. Mind if I divorce you?"

Fred sputtered with anger. "_I'm _the cheating bastard? I love her George!"

George stood. "Funny way of showing it, mate." I felt myself grin unexpectedly at George's relaxed reaction to everything. He was cracking jokes!

"You're my brother, and she's my girlfriend, you ass!" Fred stepped away from Peyton and closer to George, his hands balled in a fist.

"Last time I checked, I stopped being your girlfriend when you fucked that whore over there." I stood up and crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't want to be anything to you, Fred. You're an asshole."

"At least he's a sexy asshole." Peyton put her hand against his chest and he shook her off impatiently.

"Oh, I'm the asshole. Right. And it's perfectly okay for you to turn around and start shagging my twin brother a week after we break up?" Fred walked towards me and I found myself face-to-chest with him.

" Yeah, it is. You don't have a say in what I do anymore. You lost that right when you cheated on me!" I felt my anger rising in correspondence to the level of my voice.

"I only cheated on you after _you_ turned into a drunken slut. Remember that? Using me for sex and getting drunk off your ass every day? How can you blame me if I ran to another girl?"

I almost growled with fury. "You think Peyton cares about you? She just cares about the length of your dick, you ignorant lunatic. And you clearly only care about her ability to suck your cock. Need I mention that two minutes ago you had your hand up her disease-ridden vagina and your mouth attached to another girl?"

"Look, Fred, you can't control us. You've turned into a Class A dipshit, and we're both kicking you out of our lives. I've seen you hurt Blayne more times than I should have let you. You're a liar and a cheater. You don't care about Blayne, because if you did, you would never have slept with a slut like Peyton. Did you even think about stopping? Did you even, for one second, think about what you were doing? No. And you want to know why? Because you're just like every other goddamn man in this world. You don't care about others. You're no better than that scum Malfoy, and it's time you realize it." George pulled me to his side, tilting my chin up to look at him. "Blayne deserves much better than you, Fred. She deserves the world. She's my best friend, and she's an angel. You should have never had the chance to hurt her. And I'm going to make sure you never have another chance again."

"Stay away from her!" Fred leaped towards us and George extended his arm. Without anyone realizing it, he had grabbed a wand. With a flick of his wrist, Fred was sent flying backwards.

"You, you, you insolent little bastard!" Peyton surged at us. I pushed George beside me, pulled back my hand, and send a ringing _slap_ echoing through the room. Peyton's hand came up to cradle her cheek as she stared at me with fury in her eyes. "You'll pay for that, bitch."

"Actually, I really don't think I should pay for anything. You seem to get enough money from your after-hours job down at Sluts-A-Lot."

With a scream, the other girl jumped on me and grabbed my hair. I screamed and raked my nails down her arm. "Get off me, home wrecker!" I shouted at her.

"Stop calling me a home wrecker, slut!" she countered. I slapped her across the face again.

"I am not a slut!"

"Blayne, she's not worth it!" George came behind me and grabbed me around the waist, pulling me back.

"I told you not to touch her, asshole!" Fred shouted from behind us. A loud _crunch_ made it clear that Fred had punched George in the nose.

I reared back from Peyton and whirled around to see George cupping his nose protectively. Blood was seeping from the wound.

"You! Get out! Get out, get out, get out! I never want to see you again! I hate you!" I screamed at Fred pounding my fists on his chest. His eyes flickered from George to me, his face a mask of shock.

"I... I..."

"_You_ are staying far, far away!" I grabbed my wand from my trunk and sent a spell towards them. Peyton and Fred went flying out the door and down the stairs, and the door shut behind them with a loud bang.

"George. Oh God George!" I turned to him and sat him down on my bed. "Let me see it." He pulled his hand back cautiously and I grimaced. Blood was trickling down and his nose had an unnatural bent to it. "Will you let me fix it? I really don't think you want to try to explain this to Madam Pomfrey."

"Go for it B."

With a mumble, a snap, and a loud "SHIT" from George, his nose snapped back into place. Another spell later and the blood disappeared. I went over to Peyton's side of the room and unlocked her alcohol case. I brought a firewhiskey over to George and had him take a gulp.

"I'm so sorry George. I didn't mean-"

"Don't worry about it B, okay? Let's just hope those two dipshits won't bother us again, yeah?" He smiled and kissed my lips chastely. "I love you, best friend."

"I love you too Georgie. Thank you for everything."


	32. I'll Stand By You

**Hey guys, I hope I'm making it up to you! Second update in two days! I hope you enjoy it. This is a shoutout to all the best friends out there. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my sister, who stands by me through everything.**

**I love you all, I'm sorry this one is a little short! Enjoy!**

* * *

_"I'll Stand By You"_ by **The Pretenders**

_When the night falls on you, You don't know what to do, Nothin' you confess, could make me love you less_

_I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you. Won't let nobody hurt you. I'll stand by you_

_So, if you're mad, get mad. Don't hold it all inside. Come on and talk to me now_

_Hey, what you got to hide? I get angry too. Well I'm a lot like you_

_When you're standing at the crossroads, And don't know which path to choose, Let me come along_  
_'Cause even if you're wrong_

_I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you. I'll stand by you_

_Take me in, into your darkest hour, And I'll never desert you. I'll stand by you_

_And when, when the night falls on you, baby, You're feelin' all alone, You won't be on your own_

_I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you. I'll stand by youTake me in, into your darkest hour, And I'll never desert you_

_I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you, Yeah_

_Won't let nobody hurt you, I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you, Won't let nobody hurt you_

_I'll stand by you, No, no, no, no, no, Take me in, into your darkest hour, And I'll never desert you. I'll stand by you, I'll stand by you_

* * *

"Should we talk about what happened?" I laid in my bed with George, curtains drawn and silencing charm enacted. We were both on our sides, facing each other, and the room was still and silent around us. I felt protected here with my best mate, my brother, alone in our own little world.

"Probably."

George quirked the side of his mouth upwards. I rolled my eyes and lifted my head onto my bent arm. "Are we going to?"

"Probably."

I threw my hands into the air and landed on my back on the bed, staring at the ceiling that I could see above my four poster. "Now?"

"Probably."

I turned to him, exasperated with his game. "George, I love you. But you're… my _best_ mate. Tonight… it was comfort for me. It didn't mean anything else, other than reminding me of how handsomely ravishing you are." I winked at him. "But seriously, I don't know if you let me kiss you because you have feelings for me, or why you did it, really. If you do than... I am so, so sorry because I-"

"Look, B. You're my best mate too. You've been everything to me for sixteen years now. And yeah, you're one sexy metamorphmagus, and I don't mean to hurt your feelings or anything but, darlin', unfortunately I like my women a little less whinge-y and a little more exotic, if ya' know what I mean." It was George's turn to wink at me.

I knew who he was referring to, and I'm sure he saw the way my shoulders slumped in visible relief. It wasn't that I was disgusted by the possibility of George being attracted to me, and it certainly wasn't that I didn't care about him, but the confusing spiral that would ensue if he wanted me in more than a friendly way was just too much to consider. George was like my brother. He could never be more than that. It was a relief to know that he didn't want to be.

"So why'd you do it, Georgieboy?" If it wasn't that, then why would he let me use his body like that? Why would he use my body back? Why would he let what we did happen?

"Honestly, babygirl, don't you know me well enough by now?" He scooted his body closer to mine and trailed his thumb over my cheek. The gesture was not romantic. It wasn't meant as a prelude to a kiss or a gesture of unwavering, passionate love. It was comfort. It was friendship. It was the connection that only a lifetime of memories, of growing together, could make. "Blayne, I have known you for sixteen years. We played in the sand together, we waved our first gummy wands together, we excited in our first inexplicable, accidental uses of magic together. In everything we've done in our life, it has been together. We took our first steps together and flew our first brooms together. We went to the platform for the first time together. We've spent sixteen long years together, and I wouldn't change that for the world. You're my best mate, yes, but you're so much more than that. You're my second sister, my sista' from another mista'."

He wiggled his hips as he said it, and I couldn't help myself from laughing out loud. "Okay, Mister Ghetto, do not _ever_ do that again. Never. Oh Merlin I did not just hear that." I shielded my eyes in feigned distress. I could practically hear him roll his eyes at my dramatics.

"See? See that, right there? B, that's us! Somehow, we connect. But not as lovers. We're _family_, buttercup. So you want to know why I did it? Because you're hurting. My baby sister is hurting, she's scared and she's lonely and she's trying to navigate out of the hell that my brother so graciously plopped her in. You're my Blayne, Blayne!" Through the emotional tears that were swimming in my eyes, I found myself chuckling. "I can feel when you need help. I know you better than almost anyone." We both knew who the other unspoken, 'almost anyone' was. "I would do anything to take that pain away, to erase everything. So if this is what you need, I'll gladly give it to you. Hell, if you need me to hang Fred up by his bootstraps for you, I won't hesitate. I love you. So just tell me what you need and I'll do it."

I put my hand on his cheek and rubbed my own thumb across his skin, feeling the pads of my finger catch on a raised, white scar that he had earned climbing a tree when we were six, just to defy Percy and prove to Bill and Charlie that he could. "And besides, I've always secretly wanted to figure out what all the fuss was about. You've got men droppin' like lacewing flies! Maybe there's a reason for that. You do this amazing thing with your tongue-"

"George!" I screeched, hitting him on the arm and covering my face with my arm in embarrassment. A few seconds later, considering something, I let my arm drop away. "Best mate, do you think that it would be okay if we did that sometimes? I'm not saying a lot, and I'm not saying I want to make it a habit or ruin anything we have but I... it helped me forget for a little while." Even now, the my reality was on the fringe of my happiness, seething into my brain like one of the serpents at the magical zoo in Sussex. "I just want to forget, Georgie."

He gathered me in his arms as I felt the tears start, my body and brain suddenly succumbing to the emotions and conflicts of the night. He rubbed my back with one hand and kissed the top of my head, cradling it against his chest with the other hand. I quietly sobbed, tears soaking his cotton button-down. It was then that I remembered he was still in his school uniform.

The tears began to ebb. "George, please don't leave me tonight." I looked up at him. "I need you to stay with me."

"Anything, babydoll. And, to answer your previous question, you can ravage me whenever you would like, my little sex kitten." I let out a pathetic yet uncontrollable chuckle. George pulled off his shirt and lifted the covers, coaxing me between them. He let himself slide in beside me and gathered me up against his chest once more. We didn't speak again, leaving each other alone to our thoughts. I was exhausted from the exertion of the day, and I found myself drifting off to sleep before I could let myself get drowned in the overwhelming thoughts about what could have been.

* * *

I stretched my arms above my head, humming in contentment. George stirred beside me. He flipped over to face me and rubbed at his eyes sleepily. I grinned. _He really hasn't changed since we were kids, has he?,_ I thought.

"Morning B." His voice was rough and sleepy and I grinned, likening him to the six year old George that used to jump on my bed and hand me a pepper imp sweet for breakfast.

"Morning G. How'd you sleep?" I sat up in bed and bent backwards, arching my back to strain the muscles there, groaning at how great it felt.

"Pretty bloody well, I'd say. And if you don't stop that I won't be blamed for what happens next." I looked over and saw his eyes glint with mischief. I giggled and he sat up beside me. I leaned over, kissed him on the cheek.

I grumbled. "Georgie what are we gunna do? We have to go to classes but the girls in the dormitory will... gossip." I spoke the word as if it was God's curse on the world.

"Let them gossip, the silly half-brained twits. It's not like I'm concerned about the rumours. How could any rumour be terrible when it involves me getting down and dirty with a broad as sexy as you?"

But George was mistaken. By breakfast time it seemed the whole school was buzzing with excitement over my fictional life.

The rumours went like this. I had apparently shagged George in Peyton's bed the previous night, complete with slamming mattresses and blindfolds. We were so loud that somehow the _entire_ Common Room heard us. And we had been caught by Fred and Peyton after they had come to check and see if "everything was okay". Peyton had been the one to decide to brave it and make sure nobody was "hurt", and she was somehow framed as the good girl in this story. I had then hexed Fred because he broke up with me only after he "caught me cheating on him with George two weeks before". And then, after I rendered my ex-boyfriend bloody and broken, Peyton took care of him and nursed his wounds. The kicker was that after all of this, I supposedly cackled and led George to my bed, shutting the curtains around us, and began to shag George all night without the decency to enact silencing charms. Even this morning, I had been heard "groaning with sick satisfaction" from my bed.

You would think a tale such as this would be a good notch on the belt for George. However, it turned out that even the horny, teenaged wizards of Hogwarts thought it perverted and wrong to do your brother's ex and cheat on your twin with his girl. We were both harassed profusely, and it got so bad that at one point, Dumbledore called both of us to his office.

"It has come to my attention that there is a, urm, rather disturbing anecdote circulating around the castle today." Dumbledore folded his hands in front of his stomach as he stood in front of his desk, looking down at us through his shiny glasses. "Care to explain this to me?"

"Professor D., sir, I promise it's not what it looks like. They're just nasty stories that someone started. I think I know who did it, but I swear, Professor Dumbledore, we didn't do any of those nasty things that they're saying we did." I bit my lip and hoped he wouldn't see through my half-truth. We had never shagged, true, and I hadn't hexed anyone, yes, but there was some underlying truth to the rumours. They were based off factual things that did actually happen.

"Professor, did you actually believe that I could sleep with my twin brother's girlfriend?" George was much more blunt than I, and he stared Dumbledore directly in the eye as he crossed his arms over his chest. George actually felt deeply betrayed that Dumbledore could think such a thing about him. I knew that I had to find a way to squash the lies, somehow, because George didn't deserve the taunts and the scandalized looks that we got as we walked through the hallways. George hadn't ever done anything wrong. He was the only good person in this twisted scenario.

"No, I suppose that was a bit of a stretch. I believe you. However, I must warn the two of you that if I discover that there is any truth to these stories, you will not like it. I am aware of the erm, circumstances recently, and I would like you to know that I will not tolerate any foolish childish actions in my castle. Is that understood?" I was actually frightened by the threat in his eyes. "Good. Now, I would advise you to deal with the person who is spreading these rumours in a mature way. I would also advise that you do not, under any circumstances, cause harm to another student. There will be severe repercussions. You are excused." He spread his right arm in a sweeping manner, elegantly letting us know that he no longer cared for our presence. I scattered from my chair and left the room hurriedly.

Despite Dumbledore's warning, I confronted Peyton that evening.

"How dare you spread these vile rumours about George and me! Do you know what you're playing with?" I threw my hands into the air, exasperated. We were in the dormitory, and all the girls were there, as we faced each other stoically.

"I didn't do anything. I don't know what you're talking about." Her words were in stark contrast to her face, which arranged itself in a manner which made it obvious she was lying. One eyebrow sneakily raised, her hands on her hips, her lips quirked, and her rather amused expression said it all.

"Don't play games with me Peyton. I don't care if you hate me. I don't know why you want my ex boyfriend, and I don't know why you've done the things you've done, and I don't know what I did to make you hate me so much, but I beg you, please don't bring George into this. He hasn't done anything wrong. He's just being a good mate. He never hurt anyone intentionally, not like _some_ people." I walked closer to her. "Please, Peyton, you can have Fred, you can say whatever you want about me, but George doesn't deserve this. He never has."

She gave an evil guffaw. "You would let me have Fred, you would allow me to spread as many nasty things about you as I want? Be careful what you promise, little Blaynie. I take words _very_ seriously. I still don't get it. What do you get out of it? Why would you do that?"

I shrugged. "George is family."

* * *

As much as it hurt me to watch Peyton throw herself at Fred, I knew I had made the right decision. George was my family now. He was my partner in crime at Hogwarts. He was the only person I had.

The days flickered by. The nights were cold and the days were bleak, characterized by the snide remarks and judging faces of the students who heard the stories about me. George had become protective of me, sneering at people who looked at me wrong and walking me to every class. He truly was a beautiful person.

We had kissed a few more times, but it never progressed to anything more than that. We made jokes about it, sure, but I just had this ache in my heart that I knew George couldn't fill. The ache for Fred. I had a sneaking suspicion that the ache would not go away for the rest of my life.

Sometimes, it overwhelmed me. I would cry myself to sleep, or huddle in the corner and stare out a window. George couldn't keep me safe from my own thoughts, as much as he tried. At times like these, he would crack a joke, pick me up, and drag me somewhere to keep my mind off of it. Often, it was the kitchens via the pear painting. Sometimes it was the Black Lake. Occasionally he would bring me to the Room of Requirement, something I initially resisted because of my memories of the place. But he would transform the room into an extraordinary laboratory. It was here that I began work on the daydream charm, something I thought of to keep my mind off of my reality.

And things would be fine for a while. We would laugh, I would help George with his homework, I would work on my charm and he would think up greater and harder pranks every day, and everything would seem normal. Until I swept my finger over the vacant spot on my left hand where the promise ring once resided.

I knew healing was a process. And I was so damn lucky to have George by my side through it.


	33. You Take The Very Best Of Me

_**Here's a new one for you, because everyone needs to feel a little sympathy for the Devil sometimes. Yay character development!**_

_**Hope you like it. Brings a new perspective to things, I hope.**_

_**Enjoy and please comment/review/PM me! I love hearing from you guys and learning what you like and don't like. It helps me grow as a writer.**_

_**AND thank you to EVERYONE who has supported this story. I just reached my 100th review! You guys make me so friggen happy! Thank you thank you thank you! **_

_**XxxxOo**_

* * *

_**Cold as You**_** by Taylor Swift**

_You have a way of coming easily to me_  
_And when you take, you take the very best of me_  
_So I start a fight cause I need to feel something_  
_And you do what you want cause I'm not what you wanted_

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day_  
_Just walk away, no use defending words that you will never say_  
_And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through_  
_I've never been anywhere cold as you_

_You put up walls and paint them all a shade of gray_  
_And I stood there loving you and wished them all away_  
_And you come away with a great little story_  
_Of a mess of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you_

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day_  
_Just walk away, no use defending words that you will never say_  
_And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through_  
_I've never been anywhere cold as you_

_You never did give a damn thing honey but I cried, cried for you_  
_And I know you wouldn't have told nobody if I died, died for you_  
_(Died for you)_

_Oh what a shame, what a rainy ending given to a perfect day_  
_Every smile you fake is so condescending_  
_Counting all the scars you made_  
_And now that I'm sitting here thinking it through_  
_I've never been anywhere cold as you_

* * *

**Omnipresent Point of View**

Peyton sat in a comfortable chair in the Common Room, smirking as she watched the room buzz with the new gossip that had just _randomly_ surfaced. This time, it was about Blayne's taste in panties- specifically, the leather, crotchless variety.

Calista dropped into the seat next to her. "Can you believe it? That goody-two-shoes is a secret kink-fest! What a whore!"

The brunette rolled her eyes at the blonde's antics. "Oh Calista, stop acting like you don't own any of the same underpants."

Calista giggled, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Peyton tapped her foot as she surveyed the room around her. The bitch was not there. She could just imagine her, sitting in a cosy corner somewhere with George, conniving and doing things that an ex and a twin brother should never _think_ about, much less act out. She was such a hypocrite. She acts like she's all high and mighty, like she's the most important person in the world. She walks around with her fake smile plastered across her face, her slutty clothes hiding the ugly personality beneath them. She acts like she's so great, so smart, so perfect, but look what she did to Fred. Look how she behaved recently. Look how she betrayed _Peyton_, her so-called best friend!

"Peyton, we need to talk."

The girl smiled. She would know that voice anywhere. "Hey Freddie. What's up?" She looked up at him and was startled to see an annoyed and snarly expression reflect back at her. She must have done something to upset him, _again_.

"Follow me."

She followed Grumpy Trousers out the portrait and into a study room on the second floor. They walked in silence, the air crackling with annoyance. Peyton just rolled her eyes. Fred was so temperamental, so on-and-off. He was the most bipolar, emotional man she'd ever met. She had thought PMS was just a girl thing. Apparently not.

Peyton found herself getting annoyed. He wasn't allowed to fool with her emotions, to play her when he wanted her and throw her away when he didn't. She wasn't his toy. She wouldn't just sit here and take his wrath because she fancied him. She probably hadn't even done anything wrong. The boy had recently developed a habit of being an arse just because he could be. She decided not to let it bother her. Maybe she could pull him out of his crabby attitude, like she had so often before. She knew she was good for the boy. She knew she helped him, made him feel better, made him see the light. He needed to lighten up sometimes, and Peyton helped him do that. And it was what she would do now.

"So what's up lover?" she cooed, twirling around him as he walked. He shot her a look of fresh annoyance, and finally, when he couldn't stand her incessant _bintness_, he pushed her into a study room and locked the door behind them. "Ooh, does my big beater want to let his anger out? If you play nice, I'll let you beat me when we shag." She drawled her words seductively, batting her eyelashes and winking exaggeratedly. She meant to be cute, to help him, to pull him out of his slump, to distract him from his woes. It didn't work.

"Would you just chill out Peyton? Not everything's a game, and I'm tired of your stupid bollocks. I want to talk, I don't want to shag. I'm not in the mood to be another one of your daft wankers right now."

Peyton let the insults roll off her, knowing it was his way of venting. She rolled her eyes and sat down atop one of the desks.

"What's got you're bloody knickers in a twist? You've been downright dreadful lately. You don't even kiss me anymore. A girl could start to feel a little ignored, you know." She said it jokingly, but they both knew the truth behind her words. Fred sighed, letting a little of his anger go. He hadn't meant to hurt her.

"Look, Pey, I _am_ sorry. I didn't mean to upset you or hurt you. I didn't mean to hurt anybody." He twisted his hands together in a nervous gesture.

"I know, darlin'. But sometimes you can't avoid it." Peyton reached out and touched his shoulder lightly, a touch meant to comfort him. Both of them knew who the unspoken anybody was.

He flinched away and turned away from her, his annoyance reinstated. "Maybe you're right. But that doesn't mean you can go around and hurt people willy-nilly. You can't just decide that other people don't matter, that their feelings aren't important. It's never okay for you to purposefully try to hurt people, no matter what they've done." Fred was breathing heavy, his anger causing his words to come out in a rush. "What's going on? Why are you doing this to Blayne? What did she do to you to make you hate her so much?"

"Fred-"

"Actually, I don't want excuses or half-arsed explanations. I just want it to stop. Leave her alone." Fred moved his hands in dramatic, arching movements, a habit of his when he was really bothered by something.

"I never meant to make you upset. I won't say anything else about her from now on." Peyton reached out again, trying her hardest to calm and reassure him. She didn't get close enough to even feel the heat of his body against her fingertips. He moved out of her reach as if he wanted to get as far away from her as possible. As if she disgusted him.

Her eyes shone bright with the green glint of jealousy and the haunted look of hurt. "Why do you even care about her?"

Fred's stance became defensive, his eyes burning into her. He began to pace in front of her. She worried he would tear a hole in the stone. "Why do I care? Because Blayne is the kindest, most loyal, sweetest woman I have ever met. She's beautiful inside and out and she would never hurt a fly if she could. And Merlin's beard, I still bloody love her. There, I said it! I still love Blayne, and I want her to be happy." Fred was oblivious to Peyton, wrapped up in his own revelation. When he finally turned towards her, he assumed that the hurt he found on her face was a result of something Blayne had done to Peyton. "If she did something to you, I'm sure she didn't mean it. She didn't mean to hurt me either, I know it."

Fred stopped pacing and stared at the wall behind him with conviction. "I know it because I love her, and we're meant to be together."

Peyton tried her hardest to keep the tears at bay. He didn't mean it. She kept telling herself that he was just reeling from his breakup. She kept telling herself that he liked _her_, Peyton, and that one day he'd wake up and realize that _they_ were meant to be together. Peyton had never hurt him, she rationalized. Not like Blayne had. Peyton would be a good girlfriend. Since she had started shagging Fred, she hadn't touched another bloke, not _one_. And that was a feat for her. She knew she could change for him, be a better girl, be the _perfect_ girl. Because he deserved it.

He just needed to let her in and forget about Blayne.

"Fred, just calm down, please. Just think about what she's done. Think about the pain she's caused you. You broke it off for a reason. If you were meant to be together you would still be together. Things don't just _happen_. There's reason behind them. You're being to rash. Just think about this. She's not good for you." Peyton knew she was grasping at straws. She could feel him slipping away from her. She had made so much ground, she had worked so hard to get this far with him. She had alienated everybody else in the school so she could have a chance at being with him. The thought of never hearing him breathe in her ear or moan her name, of never feeling his touch or being able to pretend that maybe he did love her, made her sick.

Her world was spinning round, making her nauseous. What had gone wrong? She had done everything right. She had helped him when his girlfriend hurt him, comforted him in his time of need, hurt the girl who hurt him. She'd done everything by the book. She knew she was falling arse over tit for this stupid, redheaded bastard. And she was bloody pissed that she had let it get this far. She never meant to fall in love with him. She had just wanted some fun, had wanted to know what it felt like to touch those infamous beater muscles. And maybe, deep in her soul, she had wanted to be wanted.

For months she had watched Blayne bask in the glory of love. She had envied her. Oh how she wished she could trade places with the metamorphmagous, even just for an hour! Peyton had watched and waited and baited her time. She had tried to find that same love with other boys. Merlin knows, she had slept with half of Hogwarts! But no bloke had ever wanted her. No man had ever made her feel loved or wanted. They all just pushed her aside, grateful to get their rocks off, and left when they had had their fill of her. What had she done wrong? What did Blayne have that she didn't have?

And finally, _finally_, after months of feeling insignificant and hopeless and ugly and worthless, she had had her prize. Fred was single and in need of comfort. So she did everything right, again. And look where it had gotten her. She was worse off now than she had been before.

Fred pulled her out of her morbid thoughts as he sat beside her on the desk. His face was a mask of worry, his tone compassionate. "I'm sorry Peyton. I never meant to hurt you. You were a good friend, and I'm very grateful that you were there to help me when I was upset."

_Friend_. She was just his friend. She wasn't good enough to be anything more. Blayne was his princess. She always had been. Peyton was just the bloody barmaid. The wench that he turned to for comfort when his princess was being a bitch. The dirty rag that everybody wanted to use but nobody wanted to keep.

She knew her face was empty, void of emotion. That's how it was with her. After years of ignorant parents, of brothers who cared not if she was alive, of being ignored and being forgotten, she had learned to blend in. She had learned that emotions got you nowhere and that showing your pain got you kicked.

"We can't do this anymore. We aren't meant to be together. You'll find your hero someday, Peyton, it's just not me. And I'm sorry if I led you on, and I'm sorry if you've developed feelings for me. I never meant to hurt you."

She was bloody well tired of hearing that. He may not have meant it, but he did it all the same. That's all they ever did. Hurt her.

"I hope we can still be friends."

She felt her anger blossom. She felt it grow and turn and twist and evolve into cold, detached, empty wrath. "Friends don't shag friends. Friends don't cheat on their girlfriends. You're a sorry excuse for a man, Fred Weasley. You should be ashamed of yourself. You're not this hero, this bleeding wonderful god of a man. You're a git and a prat and you're just… shite. I'm not mad for myself. Oh, no. I'm pissed that you've got everyone in the blimey castle thinking that you're some fucking perfect son of a bitch. But if you think that she's going to take you back after everything _you've_ done to her, you really are barmy."

She could hear herself talking in a cold, deadly tone, but she felt detached from reality. She had been standing next to him, staring into his eyes with a bitter expression of pure hatred, and she knew she must look completely loony. But for once, she was going to let herself say what she felt.

"I was really falling for you, you know that? Really letting myself open up to someone. I thought that maybe blokes weren't useless. Maybe they all aren't assholes. But you proved me right. You proved that even though people may seem kind and caring and perfect, you're all just the same. You're all just worthless, horrible dragons, and you're no good than Death Eaters."

She turned from him and walked to the door, yanking it open so hard that it protested with a loud creak. She looked over her shoulder and felt her hair fall in her face.

"Have fun ruining another girl's life. Don't you think you've already done enough damage to Blayne? If you really loved her, you'd spare her this pain. You'd let her go. But wait, I forgot. You only do what _you_ want. Silly me."

With that, she swept out of the room. Fred heard her heels thrumming through the hallway as she strode away with her head high and her heart on the floor.

* * *

Blayne had noticed that the rumours had suddenly stopped. She had also noticed that Peyton was suddenly staying as far away from Fred as she could get. Peyton looked like she always did, though. Aside from the dark circles around her eyes, she looked the same. Perhaps even better. She wore her hair styled fashionably, silky smooth and shining under the candles. Her makeup was dark and sultry, and word was getting around that many a Muggle had recently been entranced by her quick wit and dangerous beauty. She wore the newest fashions and became tired of donning her wizard robes. She was never around anymore, as well. Peyton would disappear for hours on end and arrive back in their dormitory with a wicked grin and a crazed look in her eye. Blayne could only guess what she was doing on her outings.

The days flickered by in a blob of gray. Classes, supper, homework, George. The school was buzzing with the communal hatred for Umbridge and the indignation of the sacking of Trelawney, though very few students actually liked the Divinations professor. It was the idea, the principle. Only Dumbledore could have that power at Hogwarts.

The constant detentions and ridiculousness that Umbridge was instilling at Hogwarts had everyone on edge. The first-years trembled at the sight of a quill, and the seventh-years had made large calendars in the Common Room to mark down the days until they could leave. Someone had even set up a large picture of the toad against a wall, and anybody who had been slighted by her was allowed to throw poisoned darts at her face, causing the picture to get nasty boils, shrivel, and die, only to re-grow again for the next student's revenge.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were up to Merlin-knows-what, and there hadn't been a DA meeting in weeks. Hermione had said she was afraid Umbridge was catching on to them.

All anyone could think about was the upcoming Easter holidays. Except for the drama-riddled.

For instance, Blayne was thinking that in a few day's time it would be the twins' birthday. It would be the first one they would spend separated.

Fred was thinking over Peyton's words and feeling dreadful, knowing he had crushed her. He worried that he would never get Blayne back. He knew he had made a grave mistake, and he was having panic attacks over the idea that he would never get things right again.

George was thinking about Fred. He missed him. It was the longest period of time he had spent not talking to his brother, and the distance was just about killing him. He didn't know how he would survive a birthday apart.

Peyton was thinking that it wouldn't be long before her body couldn't keep up with her recent extracurricular entertainments.

Harry was thinking about all the pain in the world, and wondering how it was possible for people so young to feel so much. He never knew that leaving his cupboard would bring so much confusion and pain and loss and terror and responsibility into his life. Sometimes, he just wished it would all go away. Sometimes, he wished he hadn't left the cupboard.


	34. A Day of Firsts

**I just wanted to thank everybody for their kind reviews and the encouraging words. This breakup hasn't been easy, but it's amazing to know that people out there actually care. And this story is definitely helping me to escape from my life and go to Hogwarts for a little while, which helps to heal the wounds and gives me a bit of strength cause I can pretend I'm a bitchin' witch. Haha okay but seriously, thanks guys. You've all been wonderful.**

**I love love love this song for some reason, and I thought it would fit here just as much as it fits in my current situation. I'm thinking about making a playlist on youtube that you guys can listen to as you read, sort of like a soundtrack. The songs would be all the ones you've seen mentioned or used as a preview to the story. Tell me what you guys think!**

**So, is anyone else getting frustrated with the whole "Glayne" thing going on? Ha, just wait and see. This is more of that. Anddd I'm sorry if you guys are irritated with the amount of time it's taking Frayne to get back together. They have some issues to work out, and I think you'll find that this time apart will make them better people.**

**Thanks to everyone again, and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Dark Side**_** by Kelly Clarkson**

_There's a place that I know/It's not pretty there and few have ever gone/If I show it to you now/Will it make you run away_

_Or will you stay/Even if it hurts/Even if I try to push you out/Will you return?/And remind me who I really am/Please remind me who I really am_

_Everybody's got a dark side/Do you love me?/Can you love mine?/Nobody's a picture perfect/But we're worth it/You know that we're worth it/Will you love me?/Even with my dark side?_

_Like a diamond/From black dust/It's hard to know/It can become/A few give up/So don't give up on me/Please remind me who I really am_

_Everybody's got a dark side/Do you love me?/Can you love mine/Nobody's a picture perfect/But we're worth it/You know that we're worth it/Will you love me?/Even with my dark side?_

_Don't run away/Don't run away/Just tell me that you will stay/Promise me you will stay/Don't run away/Don't run away/Just promise me you will stay/Promise me you will stay_

_Will you love me? Ohh/Everybody's got a dark side/Do you love me?/Can you love mine?/Nobody's a picture perfect/But we're worth it/You know that we're worth it/Will you love me?/Even with my dark side?_

* * *

"Georgie, Georgie! It's your birthday!" I squealed. Normally, I would have given him this greeting in his dormitory, along with jumping on his bed and enchanting the dorm, decorating it for the special occasion. However, in light of recent events, I had decided to steer clear of the seventh year boys' dormitory.

Instead, I settled for waiting for my best mate to descend the staircase, fully dressed. "This is a first," he commented and brought me in for a bear hug.

"Yeah, I'm not used to telling you happy birthday while you're dessed." I snickered into his chest and he chuckled above me. Then, he pulled away and lazily draped his arm across my shoulders. We started our walk to the Great Hall.

George kept his face wiped of emotion as he spoke next. "It's also a first that you haven't spoken to Fred today."

"Well, I haven't talked to Fred in weeks. That's a new record too."

My expression matched his, void of emotion. I let out a deep sigh and then picked up my shoulders, forcing a smile. "Look, why don't we try to enjoy today? For Merlin's sake, you're eighteen! In the Muggle world, you're now officially an adult." I had learned all about the age restrictions and strange age beliefs in Muggle Studies last week.

"And I've been an adult in the world for a year already. Who needs the Muggle world? They have ancient customs anyways. I mean, seriously, who comes of age at _eighteen_?" George was, for the first time ever, sour and bitter on his birthday. I was a little shocked, but I understood.

I shrugged and George's arm went up as my shoulders did. "Muggles." George laughed for the first time all morning and I smiled at the sound. I muttered a charm in his direction. George's robes turned bright yellow and declared 'birthday boy' in bright green, capital, bold, outlined letters across the back. Confetti fell continuously from the empty air above him.

"Oh thanks," he muttered sarcastically, looking at his new clothes.

"You know you love it, you attention whore." I giggled and smiled cheekily at him just as we walked through the doors to the Great Hall.

"You know me far too well, Miss Tonks."

We sat down at the Gryffindor table and piled our plates high with breakfast delights. I repeated our time-old custom and bewitched his food to taste like his favorite sweets, and he proceeded to declare what each food resembled.

"But seriously, back to our earlier conversation, if you go to London or even just downtown in Ottery St. Catchpole, you can do all sorts of Muggle things, and you can do them legally! You can smoke cigarettes and buy porn and order a flagon of ale or lager. You can enjoy a prostitute and go to bars and strip clubs, and you can buy stuff from a television! You can play poker!" I bounced excitedly, wishing the wizarding world was as exciting as the Muggle one. Each of those things sounded so fun!

"That's all well and good, but I'm sure all those things are boring to do alone."

I bit my lip and watched his eyes stray to Fred. "You know, George, you can talk to him if you want. He's still your twin and you still love him. Don't ignore him on my account. Seriously. Go talk to him. Wish him a happy birthday." I gave George a light shove in his twin's direction.

"I already have. All the smoke has cleared now, but I still feel angry towards him. Betrayed, somehow. I know what he did and I know he did it to you, but somehow it feels like he's done it to me too. I know it sounds absurd. I guess I just thought I knew him like I knew myself. Apparently not." I felt my heart ache for him. George shouldn't have to hurt over this. It was my burden to carry, not his. Never his.

"Look, George, Fred is your brother. You know him better than anyone else, even though you feel like you might not. He's your best mate, you're first mate, though we like to pretend that I am. He's been around from your first breath, and he's going to be by your side until your last. You can't change that, and I know you don't want to, either. So make things right with him. I couldn't bear it if I was the cause of your unhappiness. Really, Georgie. Fix things with Fred. You don't owe it to him or to me, but you do owe it to your god damned self."

George let out a heavy sigh. "Maybe. I'm still royally pissed that he did that to you."

"You're allowed to be pissed. Nobody ever said that Merlin never got pissed at Arthur." We laughed and he resumed detailing the contents of his breakfast.

We left the hall some time later, after I'd changed the spell on George's robes so that Umbridge and her traitor, half-pint cronies couldn't see their extravagant design. This was only after she had ruined a perfectly good morning by being, well, a boil on the arse of a fat toad.

George's head tilted towards the table as we left, and I knew he was acknowledging Fred's new attire. It was identical to George's. by the look on his face, he also caught the confetti falling atop Fred's ginger head and the pink tinge to his food, betraying the spell I had silently cast on it.

George said nothing as we left, a fact for which I was eternally grateful.

* * *

Classes were redundant and dreadfully boring on a day that was best spent playing jokes and pulling pranks. The castle was lax in its celebrations on this historically funny holiday. I knew most of the bleariness was in response to our resident Morgana Le Fay. Everyone was so afraid of Umbridge's quill that they had forgone their usual festivities. Another very potent reason for the bleakness of the castle was the tear in the usually strong and always steady relationship between the twins. Usually, they could always be counted upon to decorate the castle and leave no student, or teacher, untouched by their magic.

George and I had half-heartedly placed some pranks around Hogwarts, mostly small and uncreative ones that had been used a million times before. We placed dungbombs in the hallways and magicked paint buckets above bathroom stalls. George had trailed some unwrapped Skiving Snackboxes along the floor of some hallways. Fred had done some of his own decorating as well. We saw some wonderful pranks in a few classrooms and even saw Pansy Parkinson running through the halls screaming, her eyebrows singed off and her long hair falling out by the second.

Other than that, it was a sorry excuse for April Fool's Day. You could just tell that the day was lost on the inhabitants of the school. Everybody walked around with pusses on their faces and frowns on their lips. The laughter, when it seldom did occur, was hollow and unexpected. Every time someone so much as chuckled, the surrounding students would gawk.

It wasn't all that bad. I was probably exaggerating. But life in the castle wasn't fun, and it was even less fun without the fun that the twins' antics brought. I felt guilty that my drama was hurting the lives of everyone else. The boys might not realize it, but they were a very integral part of the life here.

I spent the day feeling secretly guilty and outwardly happy. George and I skipped our last class of the day in favor of an outing to the Black Lake. We went to the kitchens and asked the house elves to make us a picnic, and I asked them to add a birthday treacle fudge while George's back was turned. George had gotten 4 bottles of firewhiskey from his cupboard, and first I just stared at him incredulously.

"_Four_ bottles? Blimey, how did you smuggle _four_ bottles in?"

He smirked in response and winked. "M'lady, you're talking to George Weasley, or did you forget?" I shook my head.

"And what are we supposed to do with all of this firewhiskey? Nobody can finish four bottles of it in one night! Not even two people, not even if one of them is six foot and can hold his liquor. You're bloomin' mad."

"So I've been told before."

I grabbed a blanket and a radio from my dormitory and changed into some warmer clothes. It was a gusty and slightly dreary day, although I supposed it was _usually_ a gusty and dreary day in the Highlands.

George and I set up our little picnic next to the lake. I decorated it for his birthday, streamers hanging in midair and balloons and all. We turned on the radio to a comfortable background loudness, and sat down to eat and drink.

Clearly, he knew something I didn't. By seven that night, we had gone through three bottles of firewhiskey and eaten so many sweets I felt like I was about to explode. The radio sang to us, and Full Moon by the Curse Breakers hummed in the background as George and I danced around the small fire that I had made when it begun to get dark out.

George laughed and ran at me, grabbing me around the waist and swinging me around. "George, put me down! Put me down this instant! George!" I squealed and tried to bat away his hands and wriggle out of his grasp. He just laughed harder and started stomping about, pretending to be a giant.

"Me, George. You, Blayne," he grunted.

"George I'm going to throw up if you don't put me down! Firewhiskey and twirling does not combine well!" He put me down so fast I thought I had suddenly grown spikes. I moaned and grabbed my head, whimpering at the twirly sensation.

"Sorry B. Hey," he drew out the e, making it sound long and playful, "you look awfully scrummy right now, darlin'."

I giggled and fell onto the blanket with a graceless _plop_. "You're not half bad yourself, Georgie Porgie!" He swayed and sat down next to me, grinning like an idiot.

"Remember when we were snogging and," George hiccupped, "Fred came in?"

I giggled and leaned over to George, dizzily staring at the freckles on his nose. I smelt the alcohol on his breath and leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the lips. "You're funny, Georgie."

"Why thank you my dove!" He swept his arms up to the sky and reached for the last bottle of firewhiskey. I had already taken a few sips from it. _I Found a Loophole_ by the Whomping Willows came on the radio as he chugged from the bottle. When he took it from his lips, I reached over for it, but instead, I lost my balance and fell flat on my back, staring up at the bright stars in the sky.

"Whoopsie. Clumsiness and alcohol aren't a good mix either." My laughter was silly and wobbly. "Georgie, look, it's Professor Flitwick!"

"Where?" His head whipped around so fast, he groaned.

"In the sky, silly. Look, it's the same stubby nose!" I pointed a shaky finger to the stars above me. A second later I felt the heat of George's body lay next to me.

"Oi, it is!"

We laughed and named constellations for people we knew for a while, and it was great fun, until George drunkenly stated that the three bright stars to the left were Fred, Blayne, and him. An uneasy quiet settled over us and I stared at the stars tipsy and grumbly, somewhat sobered by that thought.

"George, did you ever talk to him?" I asked quietly.

"Actually, yeah. You know that one class we don't have together, when you have Muggle Studies and I have a free period?" I nodded. "I found him and wished him a happy birthday. We talked for a bit and… I think we've mended the big issues in our relationship. We're still going to leave Hogwarts and go to the shop. It's all paid for now and we just have to find the right time to leave and set up shop."

I bit my lip and nodded. I'd known it was only a matter of time until he became best mates with Fred again. I just didn't want to lose George too, now that he had Fred back. It would be tricky now, coordinating times to see George when Fred wasn't there. But I had been the one to tell him to reconcile, hadn't I?

"You know B, you should try talking to him. He knows he made a huge mistake and he feels really dreadful about it all."

"George, just stop. I… I can't go down that road again. I'm just starting to get better."

"But Blayne, you still love him. Fuck it, I see the way you look at him when he's near you. I know you still want him. So why can't you just give it another go? It was a mistake and he knows that." George was honestly bewildered and I felt the heat of his gaze on my cheek as I stared unseeingly at the stars above me.

"Because George." I didn't want to start talking about it. It would all just start to tumble out and I wouldn't be able to control myself. I didn't want to be upset on his birthday.

"Blayne, tell me what the fuck is going on in that pretty little head of yours."

With a huff, I turned to face him. He was taken aback by the glare that lit up my face. "Fine, you want to get into this now? Okay. I don't want to be vulnerable again. I'm not willing to get hurt again. I gave Fred everything. I gave him my heart and my soul and my future and my past. I gave him every piece of me, and look where that landed me! I can't _do_ that again, George. Not with Fred."

George seemed to understand. He sat up beside me and looked sideways at me. I grumbled and sat up as well, staring into the fire with my arms wrapped around my bent knees. "Then move on and get someone new. Blimey, you could have any man you wanted in this castle B. You're sexy and confident and dangerously mysterious. All you have to do is pick."

"George, you aren't _listening_. I don't want anybody. I don't want to give another person my everything, never again. I'm not going to be weak and stupid again. I'm going to learn to be strong and independent and I'm going to be a damned good woman because _I_ want to be, not because I have to be for some bloody man. Nobody will ever destroy me like he did. I'm going to guard my heart from now on, and I'm going to make sure that the next man I fall in love with is right for me, is a better man than Fred ever was. Besides, I don't know if I could ever trust someone again. Not like that. Not with the way he destroyed my trust so thoroughly."

The silence stretched on for miles. George just pressed a hand to my shoulder. I grabbed at the firewhiskey angrily and took a long swig from it. And suddenly, George was gone from my side. Alarmed, I shot up from my seat and clenched the neck of the bottle hard.

"Hello?" My voice rang loud and clear through the woods behind me. My free hand went to my wand.

Out of the darkness, a single figure walked towards me. I raised my want with a slightly trembling hand, whether from the alcohol coursing through my veins or the anxiety pulsating in my heart.

"It's just me, Blayne."

The figure came out with two hands raised in a defensive position, out in front of the body. When I saw who it was, my hand relaxed about my wand and lowered it, but my body remained rigid. I raised the bottle, unsteadily, to my lips. "What do you want?"

"To talk."

"I don't have anything to say." I turned away and looked down into the fire beneath me. The flames danced and laughed amongst the darkness and I bit my lip to keep my strength. I took another small sip of liquid courage.

"But I do." I could feel the body advancing on me, could feel the heat of the figure against my back.

"Then bloody well say it, and then leave me alone, you bastard."

"Will you just look at me?"

"No."

An arm angrily turned me around. I yanked my arm from the grasp and stepped away from the intruder, cursing George for leaving me. "Don't. Touch. Me." My voice was the angriest and coldest I had heard it. My attacker had the grace to look taken aback and regretful.

"Look, Blayne, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I just did and I'm sorry for… for everything. Just hear me out."

"You're sorry, so you came to find me in the middle of the goddamn night on your fucking birthday to interrupt your twin brother and me. What, are you trying to scare the bleeding daylights out of me? Are you trying to piss me off even more? 'Cause it's all bloody working." I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him, annoyed. I had to force myself to bat away the annoying feelings I had for him, the voices in my head rejoicing over the fact that he had come to see me and apologize.

He reached out a hand to me."I just needed to see you, Bl-"

I jerked backwards and felt my eyes well up. "Fred, please. Don't."

"No, listen, I really mean it. I'll do anything. I promise I can change. I'll-"

"Leave me the bloody hell alone! You think you have this right- this right to talk to me, to ruin everything. Well guess what? You already did that, didn't you? I gave you everything. I gave you all of me! And you just stomped on it. I needed you. I needed you to help me. But no, instead you went and _fucked_ my best mate. I cannot _do_ this anymore, Fred. I cannot let you walk in here and pretend everything will be okay again. I cannot give you my bloody heart again." My voice broke in parts, but for the most part I was pleased with myself. I had managed to yell, to tell him everything I had been feeling. To give back some of the pain.

He just stared, helplessly.

My voice got softer and I wrapped an arm around my middle. "You always put me on this pedestal, you know? Like I was some goddess. You pretended that I was perfect and that I could never do anything wrong. When you saw that I wasn't, you got scared. You ran away and used it as an excuse. It was almost like you were waiting for something to happen, like you were baiting your time until I fell off my fucking trophy bed. Were you just trying to find an excuse, any excuse, to run? To leave? Or maybe you were just waiting until I did something wrong, to make you feel better, to give you an out so you could shag her. Were you just hoping I would mess up so you could fall into her arms instead? Did you mean to hurt me like that? You're not the man I thought you were, and that scares me. It scares me that I spent sixteen years- my whole bloody life- with you, my best mate, my brother almost, and I didn't even know you. I didn't know you could be like this."

I hadn't noticed I was crying until a drop fell on my hand. My arms came to cross over my chest and I bit my lip and waited for him to say something, _anything_. He was crying. In the light of the fire, I saw the regret in his eyes, the hatred he felt for himself, the pain of hurting me, the loneliness of losing us. I didn't need him to tell me anything more than what his eyes had said.

I closed my eyes for a brief while and then looked up and into his eyes again. "I forgive you."

Fred let out a sound of longing. It was over before it had began, and then he was stood upright again and wiping at his tears. I walked towards him, closing the large gap between us. "It'd be alright if we were friends again. I don't know if we can do it like we did before, before we got…" I bit my lip and looked down again, then back up. "But we can try. I have to move on from this. I won't let myself be a ragdoll anymore. Not for you, and not for anybody else. I need to learn to be on my own and be independent. It's important." He just nodded.

I reached my hand up and laid it on his shoulder. His eyes were tormented by the knowledge that he had lost me.

"Happy birthday, Fred."


	35. Changing Phases

_Hey dudes, so this chapter is mostly due to the reviews I've been getting about not updating in forever. Super sorry I just... wasn't feeling it. This chapter might not be amazing, it's mostly filler, but whatever. I tried my hardest to push out a chapter and get back into the swing of writing._

_So sorry. Hope you all can forgive me. Big kisses xxx_

_And THE WORLD DIDN'T END. But maybe it did because, you know, I updated. Ha. X_

* * *

"**We Change, We Wait" by The Maine**

_I've been changing/You're still waiting on me/Just wait for me_

_And I am on my own,/But it's nice to see you came along./And this might sound wrong,/But I can only tell you through a song./And I will take my time,/Cause it's the only thing that's on my side./And this can't be real,/Tell me, do you ever feel?_

_Do you ever feel,/do you ever feel? [x2]_

_Oh I've been changing,/You're still waiting on me./(Never let go, never let go.)/She said I'll never grow up._

_Oh yeah I've been changing,/You're still waiting on me./(Never let go, never let go.)/She said I'll never grow up._

_Two years now since I met you,/And I just can't forget about you./You don't know what you do to me,/Oh you don't know what you're doing to me./And baby I'm not lost,/I'm just a little confused on what to do./And it's all on me,/Oh it's not you why can't you see?_

_Do you ever feel/do you ever feel? [x2]_

_Oh I've been changing,/You're still waiting on me./(Never let go, never let go.)/She said I'll never grow up. [x2]_

_Oh yeah I've been changing,/You're still waiting on me./(Never let go, never let go.)/She said I'll never grow up._

_Oh who are you now?/(Oh who are you now?)/Oh who are you now?/(Oh who are you now?)/This shit is so played out./It's so played out./So played out._

_Yeah I've been changing./You're still waiting on me/Please wait for me._

_I've been changing/You're still waiting on me/(Never let go, never let go)/She said I'll never grow up._

* * *

On April 6th, Umbridge broke into one of our DA meetings. The fallout was swift and terrible. Despite the repercussions that befell the girl who ratted us out, every single student who was not a Slytherin was under surveillance. The idea was that a Slytherin would not betray Umbridge like that. Little did she know that there were quite a few Slytherins who had joined the cause- mostly just to _defy_ Umbridge. They did not like to be told what to do, much less follow Umbridge's cockamamie rules.

So, despite being watched more regularly, life was returning to some semblance of normalcy. There were routines, and a group of friends who I could rely on, and more commonality with Fred. Things were becoming easier, if not better.

On April 16, I turned seventeen. It was during Easter Vacation, and the day after, my parents took me to New York to celebrate. We only spent four days, but I loved the interesting people I met there and the American culture. The most important part of this birthday, or at least the most important part to me, was that I was of legal age. I could apparate- though I was not very good, proof of which could be found in the scars along my fingers. I had splinched myself multiple times, but I was positive that I would be able to master the feat eventually.

I could buy firewhiskey, and I could use magic outside of school. I was officially an adult. I didn't have to play by anybody's rules anymore.

The day of my birthday was spent with mum, dad, and Nymph. We stayed in, as per tradition, and played Wizard Chess and cribbage. I ate shepherd's pie, my favorite dinner, and then had treacle pudding for desert.

That night, I went out with George and Fred. We had done it every year since we were eleven, and I could not bring myself to break the normalcy that was seeping back into my life, even if it did mean a day of awkward half-chuckles and not knowing where I stood with Fred. We went to London, the same thing we had done for their seventeenth birthday. We went pubbing, George and Fred now eighteen and legal in the Muggle world, and I got so pissed off my ass that they had to sneak me back in to my house. Later, George told me that I had grinded with a tall blond man, pushed him against a wall, and made out with him until Fred slugged the guy in the cheek for "taking advantage" of me. Right. Or he was just jealous. Maybe. Probably.

The days flew by, and soon I was back at Hogwarts. On April 26, our first day back to school, Fred and George broke the news to me.

"Oi! 'Ello mate!" George bellowed. "Look at our big girl, of age and apparating!"

I rolled my eyes and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek. "'Ello George. Fred." I inclined my head towards him and, when he reached down to kiss me on the cheek in greeting, I bit my lip, let him do what he pleased, and then threw my shoulders back. I wouldn't let him pull me back in under his spell. I wouldn't let him seduce me with memories and lingering looks and sweet words. I would stand my ground.

We made our way from the Common Room and to the Dining Hall for the back-to-school feast. "How are you buggers?" I asked offhandedly, expecting a mumbled "a'right" or a quip defending their love of women, but I looked over just in time to see their shared look and Fred's worried, sneaked glance towards me.

When I demanded to know what was going on, and as we sat at the table in our usually spots, me across from the twins, they shared another secret look and George bit his lip. _So that was where I had picked up that_ _habit_, I thought distractedly.

"Would you stop with the bloody telecommunication already? Non-twin over here, arses!" I huffed and stretched my arms across my chest. "What is going on?"

"We have something-"

"That we'd like to talk to you about."

That was never good.

"Well, you've never hesitated before. It's not like the two of you to worry about someone's feelings," I joked, trying to alleviate the feeling of doom that washed over me. It didn't help much, and instead, I just felt like a fool for trying. "George?" He looked down and away from me. Fucking hell, did he get a bloody broad pregnant or something? He's never been so ashamed to tell me something before! "Fred. Tell me what's going on!"

"Blayne we… George and I, we've decided it's time." He sent me a pitying look, a gaze full of belittling worry, as if he was waiting for me to explode.

"I'm not a fucking time-bomb Fred. I'm not going to start screaming like a Howler, so stop looking at me like I'm going to crumble into tears." He looked somewhat chastised, but he didn't shake the air of regret. "Now what the hell are you two on about? What time is it? Time for you to go on some bloody insanity pills? Stop speaking in riddles."

Getting irritated, I scooped a liberal amount of shepherd's pie onto my plate and busied myself with eating while they got their shit together.

"We're leaving."

I looked up at them, mouth full, and put down my fork deliberately and carefully. Swallowing my food, I shrugged. "I figured it was only a matter of time."

They stared at me with open mouths, neither one saying a word. They gaped, and I laughed. "Well, as you've turned into fish, I'm just going to enjoy my pie while you two trying to regain control of your motor skills."

Truth be told, I felt the pit of dread in my stomach. I felt the tears at the back of my eyeballs. But I was vowing to be more self-sufficient, and I would not let them set me back. Besides, I told myself, this would probably be for the best. The less I have to see Fred, the less possibility of me falling all over him again. It would be safer this way. It would help me to find myself, the person I was sans-Fred and sans-George, even.

So after this convincing, the quiet reassurance that it would be better this way, I was startled when I looked up and caught the tail end of a pained and hurt look on the twins' faces. Maybe they were counting on me being upset and having a tantrum. Maybe they really did feel sorry about leaving me with toad-face and thought that I should be angry with them. Maybe they felt slighted.

"It's for the best, really boys. You two get to escape, and start your business, and become real adults. You get to do what you've always wanted to do. I'll be fine, I always am. I've got friends and work and a whole rest of the year to finish. I've got _next year_ to finish. It'll work out, don't worry. I've had time to accept the whole idea. You told me months ago that you were thinking about it. And now, we know what it's like to be apart, so it won't be like a huge culture shock. Really, it's fine! I'll visit you, you'll visit me, and it'll be a fantastic time. It's only two more months of hell anyways. I'm totally happy for you guys. It'll be better this way. Really. _Better_."

George's eyes flashed with something, a ghost of understanding or of knowledge of some sort. Almost like he could see that I was really trying to convince myself, or somehow make my heart settle back into my chest. Almost like he was feeling the same thing.

Fred still sat hunched over himself slightly, as if he was disappointed with my reaction. But really, what did he expect? Maybe back then, before, I would have cried and collapsed over the injustice, over the fear of being alone without him. But now, now I was a free woman, a confident woman, a brave woman. A woman who didn't need him. A woman who didn't cry and collapse over being left alone.

"So, how were your holidays?"

* * *

It never even really occurred to me to leave with them. I needed to improve my grades, for one thing. After months of depression and drinking, I was horribly behind. For another, there was no way I was going to rely on the twins again. Especially not Fred. He'd hurt me once before, let me down in more ways than one.

So when they made their plans to leave, and when the opportune moment came in the form of Harry (because really, wasn't it expectantly fitting?), I hugged them goodbye and promised to visit. I stood in the hallway, watching them prepare their grand exit. And when they flew above the crowd with a bang, I clapped and cheered with the rest of the school. I watched proudly as they escaped the walls of their prison and flew to their new, unknown life of jokes and responsibility and immature maturity. I knew they'd make it. They had to.

The weeks after their departure were, for lack of a better word, strange. It was weird not having them around to bother me and to make me laugh. I kept expecting Fred to show up and make everything uncomfortable. I kept expecting to find a dungbomb in the hallway, or hear their laughter fill the Common Room. And really, reminders of them were everywhere. When their shop opened just weeks after they left, it seemed as though every student in the school owned a Wonderwitch! product, or a Nosebleed Nougat. The portable swamp had been left, as a shrine to Hogwart's most infamous jokesters, and the twins had even filtered into the daily slang of the teenagers. "Pulling a Weasley" could be heard around every corner.

But for me, I was mostly uncomfortable and unused to the quiet of my life. I had tons to deal with, sure, like Umbridge's tyranny and Peyton's bitchiness, but somehow it seemed much more boring and habitual without Fred and George to blow the drama out of proportion.

Life did go on, though. Harry got into more trouble, and I was becoming even more acutely aware of the war that was raging on outside of the sturdy castle walls. With Fred and George out of school, it was only a matter of time before they joined the Order. It was only a matter of time before I could lose them. And every day was a struggle to keep my hopes up, to remember that it wasn't over yet. It hadn't even really started yet, after all.

Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup, and I wrote to the twins and to Tonks about the festivities and the great big stunned grin that Ron wore for days after the match. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were up to something, too, I could smell it. It seemed to me that they were _always_ up to something, and I wondered why I tried to keep up with them anymore.

O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s came soon enough, though I did not have to take either this year. The whole castle was buzzing with nervous energy.

I, however, was just ready to leave. Umbridge's expansion of terror was fraying my nerves, and on top of that, I hadn't had an outlet to my sexual energy for months. I was still a teenage girl with raging hormones, and I found myself replaying memories of whispered moans and sensual caresses. Just when I thought I was independent from Fred, he kept coming back to haunt me.

So, the days passed. The exams came. I took finals for my classes, which were not that impressive this year. Or at least, they didn't impress me much. Perhaps that was because I was too preoccupied with other things.

Everything was normal. And then, when it seemed as though I was mere moments away from freedom and Fred and George and not-Umbridge, all hell broke loose.

And somehow, I was always involved when shit went down.

* * *

_As always, rate, review, and love! Message me or whatever! If anyone has plot ideas, they are ALWAYS encouraged and accepted. I have a terribly hard time with coming up with plot, but I feel I can develop a plot pretty well. Make sense?_

_Love you lovies and Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and such._

_-kissme_


	36. When the Going Gets Tough

**It surely is the apocalypse because I have updated twice in a month.**

**Or maybe I'm just feeling jolly because... Christmas.**

**So yeah.**

**MERRY CHRISTMAS LOVELIES! (And sorry that this is such a damn depressing chapter)**

* * *

**Goodbye by Secondhand Serenade**

_It's a shame that it had to be this way/It's not enough to say I'm sorry/It's not enough to say I'm sorry_

_Maybe I'm to blame/Or maybe we're the same/But either way I can't breathe/Either way I can't breathe_

_All I had to say is goodbye/We're better off this way/We're better off this way_

_I'm alive but I'm losing all my drive/Cause everything we've been through/And everything about you/Seemed to be a lie/A guiltless twisted lie/ It made me learn to hate you/Or hate myself for letting it pass by_

_All I had to say is goodbye/We're better off this way/We're better off this way/All I had to say is goodbye/We're better off this way/We're better off this way_

_And every, everything isn't only/What it seemed so hold these/Words that you never told me/It's time to say goodbye/It's time to say goodbye/It's time to say goodbye/Goodbye_

_Bye_

_Take my pain away/Tear it out/Tell me I was wrong/Tell me I was wrong_

_Take my pain away/Tear it out/Tell me I was wrong/Tell me I was wrong_

_Take my pain away/tear it out/Tell me I was wrong/Tell me I was wrong_

* * *

It started around seven on the last day of exams.

I had finished my dinner and was feeling quite low. Exams were over, and the end of the year was near. So why was I so down? Perhaps because I had nobody to celebrate with.

So, I was wandering the halls that night, trying to shake my melancholic feelings, when I caught sight of four figures rushing out of the castle. Seeing who it was, I immediately knew that something was happening on this warm spring evening. Something dangerous.

And I was not about to miss out on it. Nor was I about to let six (for I was sure that the two others were going to be involved) underage children, my friends, stumble irrationally into danger, alone. And so, I rushed to catch up to them. Instinctively, I knew that I shouldn't get involved, but I was not sorted into Gryffindor for nothing. Irrational bravery was my specialty.

They were just up ahead a few paces now. "We've got to hurry," Ron called behind him. Ginny was marching along at the front of the group, Ron her close second. Behind them, Luna strode with her eyes on the sky and Neville clumsily trotted behind them, trying to keep up.

"They'd best not have gotten themselves killed," Ginny huffed and determinedly picked up her pace.

"Oh don't worry. If anyone knows how to take care of themselves, it's Harry and Hermione," Luna stated breathlessly.

"Oi, you four. Don't suppose you're just going for a midnight stroll, eh?"

All four figures stopped immediately, swinging around with their wands at the read. I grinned, putting my hands up in front of me innocently. "What mess have you lot gotten yourself into now?"

"Oh. Blayne. Blimey you scared us!" Neville placed a hand over his heart. I grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Now fill me in on the way." I started to walk away, in the direction that they were going, only to realize nobody was following. I turned to see them staring at me agog. "Well, I'm coming with you. Obviously. Who else would make sure you ate your vegetables?"

Ginny just rolled her eyes and strode next to me. "Alright, there's no changing her mind. She's Fred and George's best mate, after all. Hurry! They need us."

On our jog into the Forbidden Forest, the moon shone ominously above us, and the four did indeed fill me in. Harry had a vision that Sirius was in trouble at the Ministry, they had been caught by the Toad and her cronies as they tried to check up on Sirius at Grimmuald Place, and Harry and Hermione had tricked Umbridge into following them into the woods.

I shivered. Knowing what had happened the last time that Harry had gotten a vision about an attack at the Ministry, I had no doubt that Sirius was, in fact, in grave danger. We had to get to him soon, or it might be too late.

With that knowledge in mind, we quickly found the other two in the forest. After some squabbling, it was decided to take thestrals.

Luna helped me to get on and ride mine. It was strange, sitting atop an invisible horse, and not falling off. I felt it's strong back beneath my legs, but when I looked, I was sitting atop air. Suddenly, I was jolted into the air. As I looked beside me, all six of my friends floated above the air with me, going higher and higher at an impossible speed.

I held my eyes shut tightly, embarrassed at the fear I was feeling. I should be braver than this. I should face this with no problem at all. I was a Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake! But my stomach had settled somewhere by my feet, and I resolved to think of happy things until I was safely on the ground again.

I don't know how long I flew on the wind, over London's skyline, flying and falling all at the same time. But then, I was diving down, down, and I gave a shriek as my body lurched and fell through the sky in earnest this time. I was falling, dying, going so fast I would surely hit the pavement and see no more. This was the end, it was-

I was still. Was I dead? I cautiously opened one eye, then the other, to find myself laying almost horizontal in the air. Oh yes. Still holding onto the invisible thestral. Right.

With shaking limbs, I slid off the horse and stood on the ground. Sturdy. The earth was solid.

Throwing my shoulders back, I tried to muster my strength. It was over, and there was important work to do now. For Merlin's sake, a man was being tortured. It was time to fight.

We entered a telephone box. I would follow Harry to the ends of the earth, but a telephone box? How on earth was that supposed to help us?

But it did, indeed, help us. It was a tight squeeze, but we managed. I received a badge identical to the others' and stared at it.

_Andromache Tonks. Rescue Mission._

Right. Bloody Ministry.

Attaching it to my robes, I looked around me as the box gave a lurch and fell into the earth. I held my wand tightly, preparing for whatever would be found at the Ministry. Preparing to fight. Preparing to die.

In those few quiet moments before we entered our battle, I thought back to the memories I held most dear. Quiet nights with Mum and Dad and Tonks. Blowing stuff up with Fred and George. Kissing Fred. Dinners at the Burrow. Last Christmas Eve, when I lost my virginity. Winning the House Cup. I used these memories to strengthen me. I let the love of my family and my friends flow through me, and I was going to fight for Sirius, fight for my friends, fight for safety. I was going to fight for a world without Voldemort.

When the doors opened, we found a startling lack of chaos. It was quiet, peaceful almost, in the Atrium. Harry led us through another elevator, the Ministry ebbing and flowing, and rushing past us. We stopped, abruptly, at a big black door. The Department of Mysteries.

Harry tried one last time to rid himself of us, to try to save us, but nobody would go. "Harry, you're wasting time. We're sticking by you." I gazed at him determinedly, wondering when he would realize that we were all here to back him.

We walked through the door, and found ourselves in a circular, ominously black room. The walls were rotating, and doors were placed at even intervals around the room. We patiently waited for Harry's instructions. As soon as the walls stopped rotating, we realized we could not find our way out. Well, at least that eliminated the possibility of anyone chickening out. Not like they would.

Harry seemed just as nervous as I felt, though he was trying to be brave. He had no idea which way to go, and instead, we tried doors at random. The first room was full of brains, and I shuddered helplessly. Seeing the naked brains floating around made my stomach lurch and my mind race with questions. Brains, Ministry, really?

We left the room to enter another, with a black tattered veil. Harry became entranced with the veil, and only after much persuasion and fear on the part of Hermione, Ginny, and me, did we get him to back away and leave the room.

The next door was locked. After trying to open it, we gave up and tried another. At this one, Harry exclaimed, "This is it!"

Holding my breath, I walked through the door behind Ginny. What was "it"? At the entryway, there was an egg that turned into a hummingbird, and Ginny stopped to stare. I found it beautiful as well, staring at the bird as it twittered around our heads. Harry told us we had to go, but I wanted to defy him just this once. But Hermione pulled me away with a firm jerk and I shook my head, remembering what we were here for.

We walked through the room, following rows and rows of bookshelves. Harry said something about row 97, but something was drawing me to row 89. Something about it called to me, beckoned me. It was imperative that I found that row. Something there was important to my future.

I broke off from our group, mindless of the danger I was putting myself in. I found my row, wandered down it, and about halfway down the row, my heart jerked to the left. In a trance, I turned to my left, and my eyes fell upon a beautiful crystal globe. It looked like every other globe next to it, but attached to this one was a tag with the words "?Andromache Blayne Tonks and ?Husband".

I reached out and grasped the ball, lifting it from its holding place and cradling it to me. It was important. I had to protect it. Lifting my wand, I tapped the ball with an unbreakable charm and then shrunk it. I put it in my robes, close to my hip, and, feeling satisfied, I hastened to find the rest of the rescue party.

When I found them, they were staring at a ball identical to mine. Harry went to pick it up, but Hermione was trying to persuade him not too. It was dangerous, she said. I guiltily touched the edge of my robes and walked towards them. I stood next to them now, and Harry grabbed the ball anyway.

And somewhere, from the abyss of darkness that nearly swallowed us whole, a voice slithered and swirled around us, as if ironically congratulating us for making a fatal mistake. "Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

I spun around, grasping my wand tightly, and made to move in front of the younger kids. Lucius Malfoy slithered out of the darkness beside me, piercing me with his icy blue eyes and halting me with an unspoken spell. I cursed. I glared at him fiercely, turning my head to see the underage wizards and witches behind me. My mates, the people I had grown up with. Neville looked petrified.

The spell lifted from me and I set my shoulders, knowing it would do no good to try to protect them again. Shifting my stance wider, as Harry had shown me in the DA meetings, I clutched my wand until my knuckles went white. All around us were black shadowy figures, looming ominously with a mad glint to their eye.

"To me, Potter." Malfoy held out his hand and I looked to my left, to my right, my mind furiously calculating the odds and the escape routes. What did Malfoy want with the bloody thing anyway?

Harry asked where Sirius was, and the air filled with mocking laughter. I felt a shiver go down my spine and reached over to clasp Ron's hand in mine. His face had more emotions splayed on it than I had ever thought him capable of. Ron just shot me an indigent look.

"The Dark Lord always knows!" a sickening voice cackled. I felt my pointer finger twitch. Something about that voice rubbed me the wrong way, and I hadn't even seen her face yet. Something about that voice, that person, was off.

"Always. Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"_I want to know where Sirius is!"_ The sickening voice mocked Harry and I felt the baby hairs on my neck stand up. Leave Harry the bloody hell alone!

Suddenly, the Death Eaters were so close, too close. I took a startled breath and raised my chin. If this was the end, then by Merlin, I'd go down fighting with my mates and my family.

More talking, more mocking, more of Harry begging for Sirius. Ron stirred beside me, and Harry told him "not yet"… more mocking. Harry looked like he was slowly going insane, his need to be a hero and save Sirius constricting his every breath. Bellatrix, Malfoy called the cackling voice. Bellatrix, my brain screamed at me. The very name that Mum had used to make me eat my vegetables. The same person that my mother had warned me to flee from if I ever even saw a lock of her hair. Dangerous. A sadistic baby-killing bitch, Nymph had said. Evil, Dad had said.

And she was here. She would kill me. I wouldn't get out of this alive. But as long as the other's did, that's what matters, I told myself. Get Harry back to Dumbledore. Get Ron back to Molly. Neville's gran would be heartbroken. What would Mum do when she heard that I would not be home for summer holiday?

I tried to concentrate on the last conversation I would ever hear. But my heart was constricting with fear and my mind was shutting down as I thought about my family's sorrow. And George, how would he grieve? Would Fred collapse to the ground in regret?

But then Malfoy threatened to use wands, and I raised mine instinctively and defensively and aggressively. I could see, out of the corner of my eye, the other wands raise.

Malfoy kept asking for the prophecy, the little orb. Harry laughed harshly, said something sarcastic, and Bellatrix, the epitome of evil, screeched "accio" and Harry countered her spell. He held onto the globe, but I was protective now. They were starting to make their move. I raised my wand and spared a glance at the others. Neville still looked shaky, but as if something had sparked his anger, his brow was set and his mouth a grim line of determination. Ginny looked the picture of a Weasley lioness, startling me in her resemblance to the twins, and I could practically see Hermione going over spells in her head. Ron appeared simply angry, but there was a hint of fear and a hint of Charlie in him, and it made me proud to know the man he had grown into. Luna looked every bit as loony as she always did.

Malfoy yelled at Bellatrix, and she walked forward menacingly. I could see her face now, and my sister had been right- it was the face of bitch epitomized. Her features made my skin crawl and my motherly instinct kick in. I would not let that face be the last thing that these barely-fifteen-year-olds would see. They deserved better than that.

She threatened to torture Ginny, and I nearly jumped on top of the redhead, I was so protective. The time had come to die for someone I loved. I lifted my chin and shoved Ginny behind me, as Harry stepped in front of me.

"You're not touching her, you vile cockroach," I spat at the insane shadowy figure.

She just cackled at me and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "You think you can fight me, little girl? You don't stand a chance!" She raised her wand and I raised mine, waiting for her to make the first move. Instead, Harry cut the tension with a reminder that she would break the orb if she attacked. Harry asked about the prophecy, trying to distract or come up with more knowledge that he could use against them.

Harry was distracting them, confusing them, making Bellatrix outraged that he dare say "Voldemort" out loud. I wracked my brain for a way to get out the situation. I tried to access the weak spots of the insane witch, counting on fighting her when the time came. Harry would take Malfoy and the one that stood closest to him, the one with fur on his face and teeth sharp enough to slice through metal. I would take Bellatrix and the skinny one to her left. He looked like he would be fast and slimy. Oh Merlin, we hadn't had enough time to prepare for this- not enough duels, no Defense class this year, not enough practical magic taught in all the years I'd been slaving over books. Maybe if I used that spell that Harry had taught us two weeks ago, the one that sliced-

Commotion erupted around us and two orbs fell to the floor after Bellatrix attempted to attack Harry. Prophecies floated out of them. Suddenly Hermione was whispering "what?" at Harry urgently and I had no idea what was happening. But I heard Harry say "smash shelves" and "when I say go" and I had to say, that was a brilliant plan. I knew there was a reason he was our leader. Though Harry was occupied, he was caught up in the lies or in the truths that Malfoy was spewing, and I found myself begging him silently to let it go, _help_ us get out of here. I waited with baited breath, waited for him to give the signal, waited to smash and to help. And it did come.

"NOW!" Harry screamed, and I lurched to the left, knocking down the shelf closest to me and shouted "reducto!" at the one behind it. Wood and glass exploded into the air, and Harry screamed to RUN! and we did. I grabbed Neville close to me and threw a shielding spell above us, protecting us from the shards of glass that rained down on our heads. I ran, weaving myself between shelves that I collapsed behind me, and praying that my friends were alright, were running with me. I idly thought that it was ironic that I was no longer clumsy when I was fighting for my life.

A body wedged its way between Neville and I, and I heard the boy shout "stupefy!". We did not stop to think and turned right. I looked around and saw Luna with a gash down her face. "Hurry Luna, come on! We're ahead now!" I tried to be as encouraging as possible as I saw her begin to get lost in her head. That would not do.

We were in a room, protected for a moment, and Hermione locked the door behind us. We were not protected for long, and soon, everyone was shouting and Neville was trying to help and I shouted "stupify" so many times I was losing count. The Death Eaters were everywhere. We were outnumbered, but I let myself hope that we would get out of this. We had to.

I lost track of what was happening, worried only about saving Harry, Neville, Luna, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. I screamed at Harry when I saw Hermione fall to the ground, and he screamed her name in turn. Neville's face was bloody and he collapsed next to her body at the same time I did. I reached out to find her neck, touching for a pulse, begging Neville to watch my back.

"Harry, that's a pulse. She's got a pulse, Harry. She's alright!" Harry looked so relieved he could cry. "I've got her. We've got to get to the others."

With a flick of my wand, Hermione's body was floating along in front of us. Neville moaned about his gran killing him because he broke his wand, and I nearly started shouting at him. He broke his wand? At a time like this!

When we found the others, they were nearly delirious. I laid Hermione gently down. I was really worried about Ginny's ankle- it was swollen and looked badly broken. She was breathing shallowly, and I fell to the ground next to her, wracking my brain for a healing spell. Oh Merlin, why hadn't I paid more attention in class?

I came up with a spell that would at least lessen the pain, and quickly said it over her. She glanced up at me and smiled weakly. "That's so much better, I feel like an angel…"

We all got up to go and seconds later the Death Eaters rushed in once again. In the ensuing chaos, I saw Luna fly through the air and lay still on the floor. Not another one! I had to help her, had to-

Next Ginny fell. The only ones who were left were Harry, Neville, and I, as Ron was held in the brain's tentacles. I ran over to him, shot "diffindo" again at the bonds, pulled at them helplessly. Ron's eyes were going to the back of his head.

_No, no, nonono, not Ron. Not him, please no. Mrs. Weasley will be devastated. The twins… oh Merlin, no!_

Pain bloomed hot and unexpected across the back of my skull. I had just enough time to look up and see Bellatrix looming a few yards away, smiling cruelly and triumphantly. _At least I was the only one who saw her face last_, I thought.

I let myself fall, succumbing to the pain, to the heaviness of my limbs. It was peaceful in the dark, and my vision frayed at the edges. Hermione would be okay, at least. Hermione, and Harry, and Neville…

I regretted that I would not have enough time to kiss Fred one last time, to tell him I forgave him.

I fell, and fell, and the darkness closed over my head.

_Goodbye_.


	37. Somewhere Only We Know

**READ THIS**: I think I'm going to make a youtube playlist of all these songs. If any songs remind you of Blayne and Fred and this story, let me know and I'll add them!)

Happy New Year! With love xx

**"Somewhere Only We Know" by Keane**

_I walked across an empty land/I knew the pathway like the back of my hand/I felt the earth beneath my feet/Sat by the river and it made me complete_

_Oh simple thing where have you gone?/I'm getting old and I need something to rely on/So tell me when you're gonna let me in/I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

_I came across a fallen tree/I felt the branches of it looking at me/Is this the place we used to love?/Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?_

_Oh simple thing where have you gone?/I'm getting old and I need something to rely on/So tell me when you're gonna let me in/I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin_

_And if you have a minute why don't we go/Talk about it somewhere only we know?/This could be the end of everything/So why don't we go/Somewhere only we know?/Somewhere only we know?_

_Oh simple thing where have you gone?/I'm getting old and I need something to rely on/So tell me when you're gonna let me in/I'm getting tired and I need somewhere_

_to begin_

_And if you have a minute why don't we go/Talk about it somewhere only we know?/This could be the end of everything/So why don't we go?/So why don't we go?_

_Ah-ah-ah/Ah-ah-ah_

_This could be the end of everything/So why don't we go/Somewhere only we know?/Somewhere only we know?/Somewhere only we know?_

* * *

I was in a field.

I laid on my back, staring at the shapes in the clouds. The grass was too soft to be realistic, and I vaguely wondered if everything in Paradise was too perfect. The sun warmed my skin to a temperature that was just shy of too hot. A light breeze danced over my sensitive skin and I smiled serenely.

"Mummy!"

A tinkling voice danced over the wind. A giggle followed, and the grass swayed with the crunch of uneven footsteps. A deeper voice entwined easily with the musical twinkling of the child's voice. My smile widened and I opened my arms wider for the thump that I knew was coming.

"Mummy! Found Mummy!"

My breath whooshed out as a tiny little figure dumped himself on my chest. I squeezed my arms around the miniature shape and dropped a kiss on the forehead of my perfect everything.

"You did, my cheeky monkey!" The other voice sent a shiver up my spine. He sat down gracefully, one hand ruffling the bright shock of red hair atop the small shape on my chest and the other winding around my own hand that rested on the grass beside me. I looked over at the man who had stolen my world. He wore worn blue jeans and a wife beater, and he looked exactly the same as the last time I had seen him, cheeky grin and all. Looking down at his spitting image, I thought distantly that nobody could ever contest our son's parentage. Our baby looked exactly like his father, right down to the devilish smirk.

And then he was up, and gone. The weight on my chest disappeared as the little redhead sprinted through the grass, or sprinted as best as a two-year-old could. We watched as he hobbled along, knowing he couldn't get far, and I sat up to watch him play with a butterfly.

"Blayne," my lover whispered near my ear. "Blayne." This time was more insistent. "Blayne!" He was worried now, panicking, and the sun dipped low and turned an ugly, grey color.

The voice was gone, an echo on the wind. The body beside mine was no longer there, no comfort to be found in the emptiness that was left. "Fred?" I jolted up, away, and clutched helplessly at nothing. Who was watching the baby?

I was standing now. The grass rolled and wretched underneath me, and the winds whipped up around me. I couldn't see the telltale orange hair, couldn't see anything really. My heart hammered beneath my chest, a warning tune. Where was my son? "Baby!" I cried, arms outstretched for my little angel. Where had he gone? He was here just a moment ago. I whirled around. I cried out for him, alone, desperate. He couldn't be gone. I had to find him.

The ground opened and I was falling, dropping through space. Everything went black, and I welcomed the quiet.

* * *

Voices were sliding through my brain, too slippery to hold onto for more than a few seconds. They spoke too fast, too quiet, then too loud. I couldn't concentrate. It was important, I knew. I had to hold on just long enough to _understand_. If I listened to it, maybe I would be able to shake the blackness. The voices were important. Important...

* * *

"_Wake up!"_

Up. I could wake up. I had to wake up. Where was _up_?

"_Blunt-forced… to the back of the head… should wake up shortly…"_

"_No internal bleeding…"_

Bleeding. That was bad, right? But the voice had said no, so that was good, or was it the other way around? Wake up. I have to.

"_Please honey. I need you to… your father and I… so worried…"_

Worried. Please. Wake up!

The blackness was suffocating. If I could just open my eyes, just fight back the darkness for one second to let them all know that I was okay…

"_Sirius didn't make it… Tonks… two daughters at Mungo's… poor parents…"_

"_Healer… why isn't she waking up?... what's _wrong_?... Help her!"_

Wrong… help… Help me fight the darkness, _please_…

"_I love you. I'm so sorry. Please, wake up Blayne. For your parents. For _me_."_

Love. I love you too…

"_George… We miss you… few hours… feels like days… came right over… never seen you so quiet… too soon for jokes?"_

George. Love you. Wake up!

I was too tired. I couldn't fight the darkness. Maybe if I just rested for a little longer, then I'd be okay. Then I'd be strong enough.

* * *

I finally did get enough strength to fight my way through the blackness. When I woke up, I was in St. Mungo's, in a white hospital bed with white sheets surrounded by white walls. My dad had been there when I had first woken up, and he had shouted for my mum, and she had shouted for everyone else.

The healers said I was out for a little longer than I should have been. They said it was probably the medicine. Some bodies take the potions differently. Distantly, I blamed it on the drinking and destruction I had wrecked on my body just months earlier.

I had really only been out of it for about twelve hours, counting the time spent in the Department of Mysteries. Twelve hours, and the whole world was freaking out.

I had to spend another twelve in the white bed with the white sheets in the white room until the healers would let me go home. It was during those twelve hours that I heard the story of what had happened while I was out of it. It had been Bellatrix who had hit me with the spell, and after that, Neville and Harry had dueled their way out of a pretty balling fight. The aurors had shown up, my sister among them, and ultimately, Harry had been possessed by Voldemort and the good guys had just barely scraped by a win.

With one casualty.

Sirius had been lost. I vaguely remembered hearing something about that when I was asleep, but the memories were too slippery to hold on to. They said Harry was a mess, torn apart by the loss of his only remaining family, and I couldn't imagine the pain he was going through. It was bad enough for me, and I was just a distant cousin who had loved a pitied, broken man.

Tonks was in another white hospital bed. She had been badly injured, and I knew that the second they let me out of bed, that's where I was headed. But she was going to be okay, along with all of my friends who I had fought side-by-side with in the dark bowels of the Ministry. Sirius, on the other hand, was not.

Fred and George had been there when I was told. Mum and Dad had gone to see Tonks, and the twins where the ones who told me everything. They were there when I broke down, when I cried for who Sirius had been, for the man that Sirius never had a chance to become. They held me when I shed tears over the night when I had put Sirius to bed, when he had been drunk and broken and a shell of who he should have been, when he had called me my mother's name.

I cried for who Sirius was. I cried for his love for Harry, for his care of Buckbeak, for his hatred of his family. I cried over his wasted years in Azkaban and his destruction at the hands of our demented justice system. I cried because he was just starting to set his life right, and he was just starting to have the life he deserved, and it had all been ripped away from him before he had had a chance to live it. Never again would he have another drunk night alone in his room. Never again would I laugh at his demented jokes, and never again would I shake my head when he yelled at his mother's portrait. Never again would I hug him goodbye and tell my cousin to be safe.

The war had started, and I cried for the loss of innocence. Sirius was the first. How many more would follow? Who would be next- my mother, my father, my sister, George, Fred, Harry, Ginny? Me?

Fred and George had gotten into bed with me and held me as I, for lack of a better word, hyperventilated over Sirius and Tonks and the reality of the war. And after being yelled at by a healer, they sat by the bed instead, and each held one of my hands as they recounted how they heard what had happened and had apparated straight over. I smiled at that, imagining them freaking out and yelling at people, demanding they do something they couldn't, demanding they do _anything_, to help me. And I dimly knew that Fred had been more insistent, more crazed, and a niggling part of my brain was demanding me to remember something that I had heard in my sleep. Try as I might, I could not grasp what I was supposed to remember.

The twins told me how the Minister "confessed" that Voldemort was, in fact, back, and the three of us rolled our eyes so hard I thought they might pop out of our heads. Lupin came in later, after he had dealt with the Ministry and the Order and Harry and all things business and hell and sorrow, and I realized with a jolt that he was the only one left. His best friend, his _last_ best friend, had just been obliterated in front of his eyes. Said eyes were red-rimmed, and not like Sirius' had been, from drinking. Lupin looked utterly destroyed.

He asked how I was, and I thought that I should be asking him that question instead. But he was Lupin, and he would always ask how others were and deflect questions of his own wellbeing. I answered fine and he immediately jumped to asking me about my sister. He looked visibly worried, and as he left to find her, I smiled a little. I was really rooting for those two. I hoped she would look after him right now. He needed her. If there was one thing I knew about my sister, it was that she always knew what to say to comfort someone. She was good at being needed.

George left in the afternoon to check on the shop, but Fred refused to leave me. There was something pulling at the back of my brain, something that his red hair reminded me of, but I couldn't grasp it. Annoyed, I fell asleep holding his hand and feeling a disturbing sense of déjà vu.

When I woke up, the healers and my mum and dad told me that I was being discharged. I got dressed, mindful of my head which still slightly throbbed, and signed the necessary paperwork before walking up the stairs to see my sister. Fred, though reluctant, was forced to leave because I wasn't a patient anymore and he had no ties to Nymphadora.

I found my sister sitting in bed, tapping her foot impatiently, and sulking at her healer. "I don't care. I feel fine. I want to be let go now, thank you." She was insistent. Her arms were folded over her chest, her hair was back to bright bubblegum pink, and she scowled as the healer said something back to her. "Bloody hell, I'm an _auror_! I can take care of myself, thank you! I'm going bloody insane sitting here. I'm absolutely fine!"

Her healer gave an impatient gurgle and I laughed. Rolling my eyes, I stepped into the room and smiled. That was Tonks, as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as ever. "Oi, sis, give the man a break will you? He's just trying to help!" I hopped over to her bed to kiss her cheek and grab her hand. She scowled at _me_ next.

"Not bloody likely. He's trying to keep me here! I'm going crazy, B! Help me convince this old bint that I'm well enough to go home."

"I think you should stay here just a little while longer, love," I said uneasily, watching a patch of red bloom under the white sheet right where her thigh should be. "Just for a little. Please. It would make me feel better."

With a heavy sigh, she flung herself back on the sheets and folded her arms across her chest. Moodily, she muttered, "Fine. But you'd better bring me some toffee and something to occupy myself with, or I'll stick my wand clean where it doesn't belong. And for the love of Merlin, I swear I'm only staying two more days at the most!"

I rolled my eyes and sat down next to her, looking out of the side of my eye at the healer who was putting _something_ in a potion mix attached to Tonks' arm. "If nothing else, it will make your dashing wolf come 'round more often, won't it?" I couldn't help laughing at the look she gave me. It was pure evil… with a little bit of hidden realization and secret joy. "Oh come off it. I've seen the way you look at him."

"Well, how can I help it?" Her eyelids were drooping and her arms fell heavy to her sides. Her head lolled to the side as I looked on, and I bit back a giggle. If there was ever anybody who would hate to look as helpless as she did right then, it was Tonks. "He's just so sexy. I mean, he's got the whole rugged, dangerous supernatural devil thing going on, and on top of it, at heart he's just a big fluff ball of cuddles and… and… cuddles and kissesss-"

Her words slurred, and her eyes closed, and I let out a little chuckle. What would I ever do without her?

I got up to kiss her on the forehead once more and then left the room, smiling at the healer on my way out. He certainly had his hands full in this room.

I found Mum and Dad holding my bags on the bottom floor, finishing up some paperwork, though there admittedly wasn't much because I was of legal age and, therefore, responsible for myself. "Ah there you are darling. Everything alright upstairs?" Mum came round to hold onto my arm and lead me through the front door.

I shrugged. "Well, Tonks is being… Tonks. I've convinced her to stay here, though. I think I'll go home and take a little nap, and then I'll pop round to WWW and Honeydukes. The boys are probably itching to see me standing again, and Tonks has just threatened me with bodily harm if I don't bring her entertainment." Mum just sighed, and Dad chuckled quietly.

"That's my girl," he muttered. I laughed and nudged him with my shoulder.

* * *

I woke up from my nap (and some disturbing dreams, which, if I was honest with myself, had a serious sense of déjà vu to them) feeling slightly less annoyed and slightly more achy. Rolling over, I groaned as something poked into my hipbone. After fishing through the pockets of my robes, I opened a bleary eye to find a little glass ball in my hand. I sat up with a jolt.

I blinked the sleep from my eyes. My mind was suddenly very conscious, though my body was still laden with sleep. My prophecy. Bloody hell.

Fear rose in my throat, dark and suffocating. What if my fate was to die before I had ever really lived? What if I could never have children? And suddenly I remembered the little redheaded boy from my dream. What would I do if he would never become my reality?

But if that was so, I wanted to know now. I didn't want to spend years pining for something I couldn't have, and I didn't want to waste energy on a lie. And if I was to die, well… at least I would know that I had to make these years last. I made a promise to myself then that I wouldn't tell anybody else. As hard as it was, and as scared as I might be, I could never tell anyone what my prophecy was. My friends and family didn't need the added worry, didn't need to live their lives knowing what I was battling. We each had our own fights, and I would not let mine become theirs. Not even if it meant saving myself.

My heart was beating so fast I could hear the thrumming in my ears like a drum set. My palms slicked, and I swallowed heavily. Momentarily, I thought about just throwing the little ball out the window. No, I needed to know. I would spend my whole life wondering _what if,_ if I didn't listen. And so I checked the locks and the soundproof spells on my room, and I clenched my fist and squeezed my eyes shut. With a last prayer to whatever diety was listening, I threw the little glass ball of dark obscurity on the floor as hard as I could.

A voice, wispy and high-pitched like a faery's, floated upwards from the shattered glass and smoke. I held my breath and listened carefully, listened so intently it was like, well, my life was dependent on it. Which I supposed it kind of was.

"_When chaos comes, she shall be steadfast,_

_When he is defeated, she shall rise._

_Her earthly name foretells her destiny,_

_A child unborn and a trothed in battle,_

_The trio joined thrice and thrice a hero."_

Well that was… that was much more obscure than I was expecting. But then again, it was my bloody destiny, and it was a bloody magic ball like the ones that stupid Trelawney bint used, so I was stupid for thinking it would ever be straightforward. Before I forgot even a word of it, and with a frustrated noise in the back of my throat, I wrote down the whole thing. And then I stared at it.

For what felt like _hours_.

Because really, what the hell did it mean? At least it wasn't saying that I was going to die tomorrow. That was a plus, right? But a "_baby unborn_" or whatever... I sat down on my bed, checked what I had wrote and no, whoops, it was "_child unborn_" but same difference. But did that mean that I was never going to see my beautiful baby? Was the prophecy saying, in uncertain and annoyingly vague terms, that the child would die before I gave birth? Would_ I_ die before giving birth?

And then, the whole thing about my _name_. Did that have something to do with my stupid _mythical_ first name, Andromache, or was it the name I called myself, Blayne? Was it my last name? And then, who was "_he_" anyways? Who was going to be defeated? Voldemort? Harry? How was I supposed to rise, either? Like a phoenix, or some shit? And what was a "_trothed_"? For the love of God, what in Merlin's name was the whole "_thrice this, thrice that_" hocus-pocus about?

Well, I thought sardonically, it's not like I could tell anybody about it even if I wanted to. Nobody would know what it meant.

With a frustrated growl, I pitched back into bed and shoved my fists into my eyes. "Bloody magical world. Nothing can ever be simple, can it?"

* * *

**PLOT CLEARUP- Blayne isn't going back to school like the rest of the kids in the end of the 5th book because she "was practically done anyways" (or so her dad had said, posturing and being defensive when anybody asked). Her parents were more worried about her being in pain/all the drama that happened/Tonks in the hospital and all that than if Blayne finished the last useless days.**

**Cheers!**


	38. Decisions

**This is the playlist for the story can be found by searching "hopelessromanic326" in youtube. The play list is called Love is Our Weapon. **

**It's all the songs that have been featured in the story so far. Hope you enjoy!**

**Also, there's a new character introduced in this chapter. The actress that "plays" her is Gabriella Wilde if you wanna look her up. :)**

_Red and Black - The ABC Cafe_ from _Les Mis_

It is time for us all  
To decide who we are  
Do we fight for the right  
To a night at the opera now?  
Have you asked of yourselves  
What's the price you might pay?  
Is it simply a game  
For rich young boys to play?  
The color of the world  
Is changing day by day...

Red - the blood of angry men!  
Black - the dark of ages past!  
Red - a world about to dawn!  
Black - the night that ends at last!

* * *

I woke up the next morning to find a drawstring bag sitting on my windowsill. After opening it, I realized that it was the bag that we had all put our galleons in for our bet about Umbridge. Because the toad hadn't left until the end of the year, I was the one who won the bet, and therefore I now had four more galleons to my name. Unfortunately, I had won the bet only because Sirius had died. God, it felt like that day had happened years ago. Thinking back on that afternoon, when we had been more carefree and more innocent, I know I couldn't have imagined that the end of the year would have turned out like this.

Our year had gone dark quicker than I had ever thought possible. Tonks was in the hospital, was out of school, Fred and George owned their own booming business, Sirius was gone, and the war had officially started. It seemed like we had all grown up in a few short months. And I knew we still had a lot of maturing to do, but I, for one, felt like all the stupidity that had happened at the beginning of the year had been reckless and a huge waste of time. We fought over such stupid things. It was time to grow up and move on. Fred deserved my friendship, and I deserved his. We didn't have any more time to waste being angry or upset. All of us needed each other now.

That afternoon, I told Fred and George about the bet when I went to get some candy for Tonks from the store. All of the other shops were quickly closing down, and Fred and George's seemed to be one of the only reliable ones left. They laughed, but I felt the shallowness of their amusement. They, too, knew that times had changed, and harshly.

I went to St. Mungo's after that, bringing along my mythology book and a "book of name meanings" that Mum had given me. She supposedly had used that book to find our names. Right, like you could find "Nymphadora" and "Andromache" in a baby naming book. Anyways, because I didn't know which name the prophecy had meant, I decided to cover all the bases. Although I had no _idea_ where I was going to find information about "Tonks".

I gave Nymph her candy and gossiped with her about the aurors and the new crazy things the Ministry had done before the battle. Afterwards, she drank a cup of tea and almost immediately fell asleep after. I think there had been some potions in her tea, and that was fine, because she needed to rest and she would only do that if she was forced to.

I sat down and pried open the baby naming book, figuring it would be the easiest to start with. Looking down the "B"s, I let my finger slide down the column until I found "Blayne". "Blayne: Celtic meaning- slender; English meaning- twin; alternate meaning- yellow. Can be masculine or feminine."

Well that was helpful. How was "twin" or "slender" or "yellow" my destiny? Maybe I was supposed to have twins. Maybe I had a twin somewhere out there. No, my parents would never have kept that from me. They wouldn't have given away a son or daughter either. That just wasn't how they were wired. And I highly doubted that I would become yellow, or that being skinny was my prophesized destiny.

So Blayne was out. Andromache, then. I flipped open my ancient mythology book, the one I had bought after Professor Burbage had mentioned mythology in Muggle Studies one time. I had thought it was fascinating and, thus, bought the book by Edith Hamilton and read the entire thing. Now, I went back through it trying to find the part where they had mentioned the character with my name. She had been a wife or something. When I found the passage, I took a deep breath and hoped Andromache wasn't a serial killer.

"_As_ _Hector went back to the battle he turned aside to see once more, perhaps for the last time, the wife he tenderly loved, Andromache, and his son Astyanax. He met her on the wall where she had gone in terror to watch the fighting when she heard the Trojans were in retreat. With her was a handmaid carrying the little boy…" _

"'_My dear lord,' she said, "you who are father and mother and brother unto me as well as husband, stay here with us. Do not make me a widow and your child an orphan.' He refused her gently. He could not be a coward, he said. It was for him to fight always in the forefront of the battle. Yet she could know that he never forgot what her anguish would be when he died. That was the thought that troubled him above all else, more than his many other cares…"_

"_Holding the child in his arms he caressed him and prayed, 'Oh Zeus, in after years many men say of this my son when he returns from battle, 'Far greater is he than his father was.'' So he laid the boy in his wife's arms and she took him, smiling, yet with tears. And Hector pitied her and touched her tenderly with his hand and spoke to her: 'Dear one, be not so sorrowful. That which is fated must come to pass, but against my fate no man can kill me.' Then taking up his helmet he left her and she went to her house, often looking back at him and weeping brilliantly."_

Later, it went on to say that Hugo died at the hands of Achilles. Andromache was considered the perfect wife, a woman who waited piously for her husband through war and was a caring mother. Hector and Andromache were not only husband and wife but also friends and protectors of each other.

If that was how my marriage would be, and I would have a son like Andromache did, then I didn't see how that would be such a bad thing. But would my husband die as well? We were in a war, much like the Trojans and the Greeks had been, but not over a woman, like the Trojans had been. Maybe it had nothing to do with my mythical namesake at all, and instead was related to my surname.

After sitting there wracking my brain and becoming increasingly neurotic about it, I decided that it was worthless to obsess about the prophecy. The implications were not clear, and I was only making myself sick and stressed by worrying about my "destiny". Besides, it could be something stupid and meaningless.

So, when I got home, I shoved the prophecy in the page where the Andromache tale was and shut the book, putting it in the back of my closet and shutting the door. With a huff, I wondered if I should have just left the prophecy in the Department of Mysteries to get smashed.

* * *

My parents were spending a lot of time preparing for the war. My mother spent more time at St. Mungo's because they were putting her on longer shifts in order for other healers to work with victims of violent crimes. Dad worked at Gringotts, mostly as a liaison from the accounting to the people, and he had more hours because of the insanity arising from all the people who wanted to take their money out and go into hiding. Tonks had gotten out of the hospital a week after the attack, and had started working obscene amounts and patrolling for the Order during her free time.

As a result, I was left home most of the time. There was no way I was going to spend my summer sitting in my bedroom, and my parents weren't hiding me away because of the war, so instead I spent a lot of time at the shop with Fred, George, Verity, and sometimes Lee. Sometimes I worked and sometimes I just sat around the shop and bothered them, but I didn't mind restocking shelves or working at the register. Mostly, it kept my mind off of other things, like the war and how Fred was staring at me from the corner of his eye.

I became good friends with Verity, the girl who worked there fulltime as the twins' main assistant. She was a gorgeous, leggy blonde who was the same year as Fred and George and had just left her wizarding school in Sweden. She was talkative and flirtatious- almost too flirtatious at times- and she was smarter than she sometimes appeared. Verity was better with mathematics than I was, by far, and better at playing the dumb blonde as well. Though Verity liked to party and loved to mess around, at heart she was actually a wonderfully sweet girl, and I found myself taking a quick liking to her.

Her first few weeks at the shop, she called Fred and George Mr. Weasley and Mr. Weasley, which I thought was hilarious. I kept telling her she didn't need to call them that, and they kept insisting that she did because it made them feel important. Soon, she picked up on their little 'joke' and called them Fred and George just like everyone else. Although maybe that was her losing respect for them after dealing with their antics for so long.

It could have helped that George asked Verity on a date one day in mid-July. It certainly didn't take long for them to develop a very sexual and very passionate relationship. She moved into the flat above the shop a few weeks later, and neither Fred nor I could tell them that they were moving too fast because, well, we couldn't be hypocrites.

Things went back to the way they were before I dated Fred, with one more person. We were best friends again, and a trio (though most times a quad with Verity around) once more. There was, however, more sexual tension between Fred and I now that we remembered what had happened and we knew what each other tasted and felt like. I couldn't lie; I missed it. I missed him. But I knew I wouldn't let that happen to me again, and I still harboured some deep-down resentment because of his infidelity. So, I dealt with the tension and the awkward looks and the accidental arm-brushes, and I didn't say anything because being close to Fred was still kind of nice.

I got into a routine, waking up to an empty house and apparating to the shop, spending the whole day with the twins and Verity, and going home for dinner or, occasionally, to the Burrow. I hardly saw my parents anymore, and I only saw Tonks at the occasional Burrow dinner.

Fred and George joined the Order. It was something that made me extremely anxious. I could see why they joined, and I knew that I would join eventually, but knowing that they could die at any minute made me want to curl up under my covers and never come out. I couldn't imagine losing either one of them, and it was the knowledge that they were in constant danger and were associated with the resistance that had me staying up late at night.

They came home from meetings to tell me that things were getting worse. I heard all the second-hand news, from the potential army that Voldemort was raising to the things that we should be doing to prepare. And I decided to join the resistance effort, even if I could only help minimally. Technically, I was still in school, and even though technically I was an adult, I wanted to talk to my parents first. But they were just too busy at the moment, so instead I did small things for the Order like deliver messages.

Fred and George were not happy about that. I tried to keep my involvement from Dora, because I knew that she would have some choice words to say as well. But if they could fight, why couldn't I? I was seventeen- legal, consenting, and willing to fight. The twins tried to stop me from going, tried to tell Dumbledore not to use me, but he had replied that we needed all the help we could get. I just stuck my tongue out at the twins for interfering and losing.

People were starting to die. Amelia Bones and Emmeline Vance were killed one night, and a bridge was destroyed a few days later. Panic was swelling, and more people vanished into hiding. Streets were getting barren, and my summer holiday was starting to look pretty gloomy. I worried even more about my family after the murders and the bridge attack. I worried about their safety constantly, and I became jumpy and agitated and paranoid. I couldn't sleep. I mostly figured it was so bad because I wasn't helping to stop it. I wasn't doing anything of worth. I mean, sure, I delivered a few messages about meeting changes, but other than that, I didn't have any real involvement in preventing the deaths of people I loved. So, one night, I sat my parents down at our dining room table and talked to the rationally about leaving school and joining the Order.

Their immediate response was expected.

"No. No, you are not leaving school to get yourself _killed_!" my mother cried, throwing her hands up in the air.

"But Mum-"

"Blayne, why? Why would we ever let you abandon your education so that you can join a war we might not win and one that you might get killed in? We're your parents, for God's sake. We want you safe. And safe is at Hogwarts." My dad had his fingers steepled in from of his face and he looked at me over the top of his fingers. I cringed. He was using his rational, "use-your-brain" voice.

I threw my hands up in frustration. "Yeah because Hogwarts has been _so_ safe throughout the years. We had a murderer living in the castle for years without even realizing it! It can't be so perfect, can it, if we let that idiot Umbridge in to terrorize the students. I don't call hand-slicing quills _safe_, do you?"

My mother looked at me sternly. "Hogwarts is the safest place for you _right now_. It's certainly safer than the Order, if that's what your suggesting!"

"No, Mum, listen, I don't think it really is. And anyways, I'm tired of living in safety. I need to take risks, I need to do something to save the people that I love. I can't just sit around here anymore. It's only been a few months, and I'm already losing sleep and feeling paranoid. I need to join the fight, or I'll go crazy sitting on the sidelines! I want to help, I want to _fight_!"

"So fight by sticking your last year out and showing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named that you're going to survive and you're going to have a good life, and that you're not afraid of him." My mother crossed her arms in front of her.

"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounded? How the bloody hell is getting my N.E.W.T.s going to fight him? It's not worth going to school if I die in a few years anyways, I mean-"

"_Andromache_!"

"Blayne, don't you _dare_ talk like that again!" My father shot me a look and I rolled my eyes.

I crossed my arms. "Be realistic. I might not survive. You might not survive. It's not fair and it's really scary, and I'm already losing sleep over it. So I want to fight. I want to be useful. Besides, I don't trust Hogwarts anymore after the atrocity that was Umbridge. More importantly, though, I want to spend time with the people I love before… before it's too late." My eyes fell down to the worn table under my finger and I ran my finger over a dark water stain.

"Oh honey." Mum came around to hug my shoulders. "Look, I understand what you're saying. Your father and I were in the same predicament in the last war. And I think… I think that you're old enough to make your own decisions. You're seventeen, legal and officially mature. If you want to leave school and join the Order, I'm not going to stop you." She pulled back to look me in the eyes. "But I think you should know that your father and I don't agree."

My father nearly fell off of his chair. "Dromeda! No. Blayne, no. You're not old enough, you can't choose this. You don't even know what the choice is! You're not old enough to understand. You need time, experience!" He got up and started waving his hands around, and I bit my lip and stood up. I walked over to him and pulled him into a hug, wrapping my arms around his waist and putting my head on his chest.

"I know you're scared Daddy. I am too."

* * *

_The plot is moving along, hope you enjoy! The pace is picking up I think so… yay! _

_xx_


	39. Near to You

**I want to say thank you to all my faithful reviewers and, I want to let CharlotteBlackwood know that, yes, NOW there can be some smut. Thanks to hikachan3 for giving me a little idea I hadn't even thought of. And flamingo23, a late thank you for your review as well! Reviews are always appreciated, they make me smile and write faster.**

**Hereeeeee ya go!**

* * *

**_Near to You_ by _A Fine Frenzy_**

_He and I had something beautiful/But so dysfunctional, it couldn't last/I loved him so but I let him go/'Cause I knew he'd never love me back_

_Such pain as this/Shouldn't have to be experienced/I'm still reeling from the loss,/Still a little bit delirious_

_Near to you, I am healing/But it's taking so long/'Cause though he's gone/And you are wonderful/It's hard to move on/Yet, I'm better near to you._

_You and I have something different/And I'm enjoying it cautiously/I'm battle scarred, I am working oh so hard/To get back to who I used to be_

_He's disappearing/Fading subtly/I'm so close to being yours/Won't you stay with me/Please_

_Near to you, I am healing/But it's taking so long/'Cause though he's gone/And you are wonderful/It's hard to move on/Yet, I'm better near to you._

_I only know that I am/Better where you are/I only know that I am/Better where you are/I only know that I belong/Where you are_

_Near to you, I am healing/But it's taking so long/Though he's gone/And you are wonderful/It's hard to move on_

_Near to you, I am healing/But it's taking so long/'Cause though he's gone/And you are wonderful/It's hard to move on/Yet, I'm better near to you._

_Yet, I'm better near to you._

* * *

I didn't go back to school, and I did join the Order.

Needless to say, my dad wasn't too happy with me. My mother tried to be supportive, but I knew she was scared and, deep down, she was disappointed in me. My parents fought with each other and with me, and on the rare occasion that my sister came over, she just added fuel to the fire.

Tonks believed that I had every right to make my own decisions, and at one point she even said that my parents were behaving like pureblood idiots. Though Tonks was going through a hard time (she felt guilty for surviving while Sirius had not) and she was certainly not herself, there was something about _me_ that made her protective instincts rise up. The last thing I wanted to do was make Tonks angry and upset while she was feeling so terrible.

After one particularly bad episode, I moved out.

It was just easier. I felt terrible about causing my parents to fight. I don't remember them ever fighting this much before. Maybe, I reasoned, if I was gone, they wouldn't have a reason to bicker. I knew they felt bad about essentially kicking me out, but it was better that I move on and grow up instead of creating even more conflict. I still visited, but it wasn't the same. Things were definitely changing, and the war had only just begun.

I moved in with Fred and George and, by extension, Verity. It was cramped to begin with, because the flat had only two bedrooms and four tenants, but as we got used to it, it became normal and I found that I had more than enough room. Living with my friends and not my parents was definitely an adjustment; I did my own laundry, cooked for other people instead of being cooked for, and had to bend to other peoples' habits. I finally felt like I was growing up, however. I no longer felt like I was the seventeen year old teenager with no idea how to fight a real war or behave like an adult.

To pay for rent, food, clothes, and all of the things that I would need as a self-sufficient adult, I started to work at the shop. I actually came to like it. Working with my best friends was fun and I had always enjoyed playing with the miscellaneous joke items. I liked helping the twins create new ideas. I got to interact with different and interesting people every day, and though my job was by no means conventional, it paid well and I knew it was more fun than most occupations.

I began to go on patrol for the Order and take a more active role in preventing Voldemort's success. I trained with the others every Thursday night at the old, rickety house that lay just on the edge of the Burrow's property. I actually felt as though I was getting better at duelling, which was a relief. At least, I hoped I was getting better. Because Mad-Eye certainly made sure that I didn't leave the house without more than my share of bruises and aching bones, and every Thursday night I dragged myself up the stairs of the flat after midnight, feeling like I was about to collapse.

Living with the twins and another teenage girl certainly had its challenges. Eventually (after waking up one morning and stepping in week-old mashed potatoes) we had to set up a chore chart and a meal plan because nobody wanted to do any work around the flat. After a few nights of laying in bed and listening to the awkward sounds of George and Verity having sex two feet away, we made it mandatory to silence our rooms at all times. When George used my toothbrush by accident, we all labelled our things. Verity thought that it was acceptable to use the bathroom for hours on end and, after being late to open the shop for four days in a row, we set maximum bathroom usage times. Eventually, and after a lot of trial and error, we worked out a system so that we were all comfortable and happy.

The living arrangements were a little awkward. Verity had moved in with George and, obviously, she lived in his bedroom. Neither of the twins would hear of me sleeping on the couch, so instead, I slept in Fred's room. I tried not to, but I couldn't stop the warmth that spread through my bones when I realized that Fred and George had taken the same rooms that we had decided on back when they had bought the place. Back when Fred and I had christened "our" bedroom on Valentine's Day.

There wasn't enough space for two twin beds in the room, so I slept with my ex-boyfriend in a queen bed. He slept on the left side of the bed and I slept on the right, but it was not unusual for us to end up tangled in each other's limbs and cuddling when we woke up. I tried not to feel anything about that, either.

We tried to be respectful of each other, of course. We each had a new path in life and new worries. We had each changed over the past months. But as the days wore on, the sexual tension between us only got worse and more apparent until it felt like it was suffocating me.

And one of those suffocating moments would be now.

Fred and I were the only ones in the apartment, as George and Verity had gone out for dinner and a film. I was putting away our dinner plates and Fred had gone to take a quick shower. We weren't planning on doing anything spectacular that night, just settling in to eat some ice cream and watch some muggle films until the early hours of the morning.

Well, at least that _had_ been the plan. Before I had walked into the bedroom and started putting on my pyjamas. Before Fred had walked out of the ensuite bathroom stark naked.

Everything went silent. Staring at him, at everything I had been denied for months, at the sculpted perfection of his muscles and his freckled skin, my blood turned molten in my veins. My nerves hummed under my skin. I couldn't think, and I could barely breathe under the weight of my heart thrumming in my chest.

He was perfect. A thin sheen of dew covered his skin, illuminating the dark dusting of freckles on his arms and across his chest. The water turned his ginger hair almost brown, and because it needed to be cut, it stuck up at odd angles and a wet lock flopped down across his forehead almost comically. As I watched, a droplet slipped from the hair that curled around his ear. It slid down his neck, across a perfectly pink and pebbled nipple, and through the downy hair that flared at his bellybutton and then almost disappeared at his hipbones. The bead of water fell further, reaching his curved penis and slipping down its length. I had never been so jealous of a drop of water before.

He had shaved, I noted absentmindedly. His penis stood half-hard, pink and flushed and bent slightly upwards the way it always was _before_. The hard "v" of his hips made the small of my back tingle, and I bit down harder on my lip without realizing what I was doing. His thighs clenched and unclenched, and the hair there, I knew, was impossibly soft and a light red colour that was even lighter than his hair. And when I finally dragged my eyes back up to his face, I let out a little gasp of surprise. He was closer, closer than I had realized, and his eyes were hooded with desire that I hadn't seen for- what felt like- forever.

I only had seconds to appreciate the way he was staring at me, his eyes hooded, like something he wanted to eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and especially desert before he was crowding into my space and pushing me back against the wall and pressing his mouth hot and hard against mine. And _oh_, I had forgotten I was naked, but with the way Fred was all hard planes and hot muscles pressing up against my curves, it was impossible to ignore my lack of clothes.

_Merlin_, I had almost forgotten what he tasted like, all wet and chocolate and something indefinably Fred. He swallowed my moan, his teeth knocking against mine in a way that was most definitely not awkward or embarrassing. It felt like he was surrounding me, and I relished the way his tongue speared into my mouth and tangled with my tongue, consuming me and attacking me and comforting me all at once.

I couldn't process what was happening, I couldn't _think_. Everything was burning, and heat, and wetness, and I couldn't formulate thoughts over the loudness of my feelings. It was _want-need-have_ and loudness and stillness all at the same time. His fingers pinched at my nipple as his mouth sucked a pink mark onto the hallow where my neck met my shoulder. I grabbed desperately at his shoulders, trying to find something to hold on to, some anchor that would stop me from floating away. My body arched into his, trying to get closer and feel more.

He licked at my neck and one of his hands slid down my side, over soft curves and skin that had been untouched for far too long, to settle on my hip. He pulled me closer to him by my hip. One of his knees, all hard muscle, slid between my thighs and pressed up against my clit. I let out a keening noise that would have been embarrassing if I could have felt anything other than ravenous desire. I pulled his mouth up to mine and nearly devoured him, pushing his head back with the force of my lips and then pulling him closer to me by our tongues.

It felt like I was burning up, like everything was almost _too much_ sensation, but I couldn't stop. I was spiralling down and flying up, and I hadn't realized I had pulled my legs farther apart until Fred was pulling his knee away and slotting his hips into the vacant space he left behind. His dick pressed hard and heavy against me and I gasped, loud and obscene and breathlessly. I almost missed the way he groaned, long and deep, his mouth pressing my name into the wet skin behind my ear.

I reached up, winding my hands into his hair to make sure he wouldn't go anywhere, and as if he thought the same thing, the heat and hardness and desperateness was replaced by aching emptiness.

Chest heaving, body thrumming, nerves quivering, it took me more than a few seconds to process everything. I forced my eyelids up from where they had drooped almost-shut , fighting with my sluggish brain to move around the screaming _no!_ of my thoughts. Fred stood a few feet away, his own chest struggling with breaths. His hand pressed against the wall, as if he needed something solid to help keep himself upright, and I couldn't help but agree with him. I felt as though if I didn't have the wall behind me, I would surely fall to a pile of unsatisfied goo on the floor.

His dick was now beautifully erect, wet with precum and, I knew, some of my own moisture. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to focus on something other than the pounding of my head and my heart. I couldn't _think_, not with the hormones that were raging through my body and the way he looked so deliciously edible. Why had we stopped?

The question was silent and begging between us, and I lifted my eyes to him in the hopes that he would see the confusion in them. In response, he just squeezed his own shut and grabbed his jeans off of the bed, practically running to the bathroom.

By the time he came out, I was sitting on the couch in my flannel pyjamas, the most unflattering ones I could find. My back was to him, and I waited for him to say something or to sit beside me. Instead, I heard the click of the door shut behind him and the unmistakable sounds of his feet thumping down the staircase that led to the shop.

I didn't see him until the next afternoon, and when I did, I tried desperately to ignore the flare of arousal in the pit of my stomach. And when images of Fred, running to the pub to get piss-ass drunk and then shag some other witch who had far less strings attached and far less emotional issues, swam around in my head, I tried desperately to ignore those, too.

* * *

So yeah, things got more awkward.

I started to sleep on the couch, instead, and when all three of my flatmates argued loudly about it, I tried to diffuse the tension by saying that Fred's bed was just too firm for me and that the couch was much more comfortable. Verity still looked sceptical, and although George tried his hardest to trust me, I knew he still wondered if Fred had done something. Fred and I walked on preverbal dragonshells around each other. Never again did we shower without locking the doors and then double-checking the locks.

It took me a few hours, alone in the quiet of the apartment the night that Fred fled, to realize why he had pulled away. He did it to be respectful, because Fred, even after cheating on me and crushing my heart, was still Fred, and he still cared about me. He did it so that he wouldn't hurt me again, so that he wouldn't do it without knowing I was ready. He did it because he was worried I didn't want him. He did it because he was afraid that I would think we had made a mistake. He did it because he didn't want to lose me again.

And, although my hormones didn't agree with me, I was glad he did. I didn't know if I _was_ ready to go down that path again, and I didn't know if I ever would be. I was just getting my life back on track again. I was finally becoming an adult, growing up and becoming independent. I didn't know if I wanted to fuck that up by adding Fred back into the mix.

Maybe I still didn't trust him, either.

Regardless, we went about our daily business trying our hardest not to bring up memories, or aggravate each other, or mention relationships or sex, or, heaven forbid, see each other naked.

On July 31, all four of us went to Harry's birthday party at the Burrow. Fred and George were dressed to impress, in their new dragonskin suits that cost a fortune. I knew that mostly it was because they wanted to show their parents that yes, despite what they had thought, they were rich and successful and had made a name for themselves. No, they were not the jokes their mother had thought they would turn out to be, though she had tried to hide her worries from them.

Verity wore a cute black dress and had her blonde hair in gorgeous waves, and I tried not to envy the way the dress made her legs look like they went on and on. She was, after all, trying to impress as well. She had met the Weasleys before, but not in such a large group and not outside of the shop. George and she had only been dating for two months, and George had tried to keep their relationship as private as he could. "Don't want to ruin it just yet," he had told me. He was worried that his family would put her off, and though I knew it was a stupid worry, I didn't say so. Fred and George would always feel inferior because of their family's social status and their family's view of the twins, and nothing I could say would ever change that.

As for me, I wore an old red dress that the Weasleys had seen me in dozens of times before because, unlike everyone else, I was _not_ trying to impress anybody. I was actually excited to see my second family. It felt like I hadn't seen them in years, and I tried to suppress the anticipation that was bubbling up inside me. I saw a few of them at a time at Order meetings, during Thursday practices, or in the shop, but I hadn't seen them all at an informal gathering in a while. And I ached to see how Harry was holding up and to ask how he liked staying at the Burrow instead of his aunt and uncle's house. I also hadn't seen Fleur for a few months. I was wondering what she would be like now that she was with Bill.

I grabbed Harry's present from the kitchen table, the collective gift (a giant bag filled with new joke products and his favourite candies) that all four of us had pitched in to buy, and followed Verity into the floo.

"Blayne, darling! It's been too long, dear. How are you? Sit, won't you?" Molly nearly attacked me when I stepped out of the fireplace, and I smiled at the familiarity of the scene.

"Wotcher, Molly! I'm well, and you?" I took a seat next to Harry and smiled at Molly when she said she was well as well. "'Ello Harry, happy birthday! Good lord, you've grown, haven't you? It looks like you've been given a stretching potion!" I kissed his cheek and he blushed a little, rolling his eyes.

"Thanks. How's living with the twins?"

"Every day's an adventure, that's for sure."

Harry just chuckled.

"Oh, you must be Verity! Arthur was just telling me how he met you when he went to the shop the other day. It's so nice to finally meet you." Molly ushered Verity to sit and then launched into a long and adorable interrogation, to which George hit himself over the head in exasperation.

"Oh, loook, eet is zee jokerz and zeir girlfreendz!" A blonde bombshell flitted into the room and sat down between the twins, kissing each on their cheek. A flare of jealousy sparked deep in my chest and I grumbled, trying to ignore it. Verity looked murderous.

"Yes, I'm Verity, George's _girlfriend_." She put her arm possessively around his waist and I hid my snicker.

"Vonderful to meet you! I am Fleur, Bill'z fiancé." The way she said fiancé sent shivers up my spine. Fleur seemed like she was using the term to up the ante on Verity. Bill was more than a bargaining chip.

I scowled at her. "I'm sure it is." I didn't even bother to correct her false assumption that Fred and I were dating.

Tonks was there, too, but she looked much of the same and kept quiet for the majority of the night. Dinner was delicious, as always, and over desert we talked about the vacancies at Diagon Alley, what with a lot of the shop owners being forced out of their shops and into hiding. We talked about Scrimgeour and then, as Molly began to get agitated, we steered the conversation back to happier things.

Bill was quite drunk, and asked the twins if it was awkward living with two women. Remus tried to cheer Tonks up, to no avail. Fleur became more irritating as the night went on. Harry briefly mentioned that the new Potions teacher was to be Horace Slughorn. Arthur asked about the shop. Things were good, and it was nice catching up with everyone. I pushed the nagging worry that we wouldn't have too many more of these get-togethers to the back of my mind.

It seemed like we said goodbye too soon, but Bill and Fleur were making me nauseous, so I left without an issue. As the four of us got ready to floo back to the flat, Molly pulled me aside and hugged me for a long time.

"I'm proud of you, dear. You've made some hard decisions lately, and I don't approve of all of them, but I want you to know that we're always going to be here for you. Even if you and Fred don't end up together- and don't worry, dear, I'm still holding out hope- you'll always be like a daughter to me." She kissed me on my forehead, and with my eyes swimming with tears, I entered the fireplace. I was the last one back to the flat.


	40. Rage

**Hello chickies!**

**I didn't intend to finish midterm studying at midnight, and I definitely didn't intend to open up this new chapter and spend the next two hours pouring my heart into it. But it ran away with me and my emotions and it was 3 in the morning. If there's major typos, or it doesn't make sense, lemme know. Word vomit in the wee hours of the morning can be a bad idea sometimes.**

**So somehow I got the inspiration for a part of this from that scene in Seventh Heaven when Martin tells Ruthie that Sandy is pregnant with his baby and she freaks out. It's a good scene, really heart wrenching. So if you don't get what I'm trying to get at near the end of this, go look it up on youtube. And if you never watched Seventh Heaven, oh god, I have no words for you.**

**This actually wasn't the way I meant for this chapter to go, but it kind of got away from me, and well… here it is. I originally meant for a little fight scene and then smut but… well… yeah. This happened instead.**

**A lot of this I had already written in little snippets on my tumblr. They're actually personal little vignettes or emotional word vomit things that I just kind of compiled and… this happened.**

**By the way, this is a really good angry song if anybody needs one!**

* * *

**Given Up** by **_Linkin Park_**

_Wake in a sweat again/Another day's been laid to waste/In my disgrace_

_Stuck in my head again/Feels like I'll never leave this place/There's no escape_

_I'm my own worst enemy_

_I've given up/I'm sick of feeling/Is there nothing you can say_

_Take this all the way/I'm suffocating/Tell me what the fuck is wrong/With me_

_I don't know what to take/Thought I was focused but Im scared/I'm not prepared_

_I hyperventilate/Looking for help somehow somewhere/And no one cares_

_I'm my own worst enemy_

_I've given up/I'm sick of feeling/Is there nothing you can say_

_Take this all the way/I'm suffocating/Tell me what the fuck is wrong/With me_

_God!_

_Put me out of my misery/Put me out of my misery/Put me out of my/Put me out of my fucking misery_

_I've given up/I'm sick of feeling/Is there nothing you can say_

_Take this all the way/I'm suffocating/Tell me what the fuck is wrong/With me_

* * *

It was a Friday when it started.

I was sitting on the counter at the shop and flipping through a catalog of wonderwitch! products. It was surprisingly quiet, with late afternoon sunshine filtering in through poster-caked windows, and only a few customers flitted through the overstocked shelves. Verity was somewhere in the stock room, though I had thought I had seen George wander back there from the corner of my eye a few minutes ago. I distantly heard Fred talking with a customer. Chewing on the cap of my pen and kicking my legs lightly against the counter, I circled an advertisement for anti-acne potion. Teenage witches go crazy for magical beauty products, especially ones that give them an edge over usual muggle teenagers.

I let my mind wander, and so if I jumped when I heard a voice _this_ close to my ear, it totally wasn't my fault. "What's up, buttercup?"

I tilted my head slightly to find Fred and I practically nose-to-nose. He was so close that I could feel his breath on my lips, and I suppressed a shudder at the feeling. Closing my eyes, I turned my face to a safer place. "Just seeing if there's any new products. Is that customer all set?"

"Yeah, she wanted a love potion for her ex but she was only fifteen. Can't sell any of those to underage witches, you know? Sucks for her though, I mean, I know how shitty breakups are." Fred leaned against the counter to my left and rested his forearms on top of it. I tried to ignore both his statement and how fuckable he looked. It wasn't working out so well.

I rubbed my forehead and turned my head to the right, away from him, and closed my eyes to try to refocus my brain. If that got Fred farther away from me in the meantime, that was just a bonus. "Did you want to tell me something?"

"Oh yeah! We're going to close the shop up early. George and Verity are going to Verity's mate's birthday party, and I have a date, and there's no way we're going to make you stay open alone. So we'll close up and you can go do whatever you want!" Fred strode- almost skipped, it looked like he was so happy- to the door, flipped the sign, and waved his wand to lock the door. When he turned around, he had a giant grin on his face. "I've gotta go get ready. Have fun on your first quiet night without us in a while!"

Then he was gone.

I rolled my eyes and flipped the page, circling the makeup charm. My mind wandered for a few minutes, flitting from idea to idea for my "quiet night", before realizing what else Fred said. Date? He was going on a _date_? With _who_?

Try as I might, I couldn't stop my heart from squeezing painfully. I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore the way my stomach dropped to my toes, but then Fred came back down the stairs. He was wearing one of his best button-down shirts (the same one that he had wore on my sixteenth birthday) and his hair was perfectly disheveled The huge grin on his face had my heart doing flipflops only to wrench painfully when I remembered that that smile was not for me anymore. He called out a merry goodbye, and then he was gone, a flash of red hair disappearing behind the corner.

I tried to ignore it all, I really did, but as I called a bitter farewell to my friends who were surely fucking in the back closet, I heard my voice threaten to wobble. I made it upstairs and into my- no, Fred's- room without letting my emotions get a hold of me. I threw off my work clothes and grabbed my fuzzy, comfort pyjamas, pulling them on and yanking the red fluffy blanket- and the baby blanket that I hadn't touched for months- off the bottom of the bed.

But when I grabbed a carton of ice cream and a spoon, turned on some sappy muggle film, and sank down pitifully into the couch, I couldn't ignore the burning in the back of my throat anymore.

I blinked at the television set and idly wondered why we had even decided to get one and why Mr. Weasley hadn't barged in and demanded to watch it yet. My vision swam for a second, and I took a deep, frustrated breath. Why was I so emotional? Surely I was just feeling lonely. I was the only one who was single, now. As hard as I tried to think of it that way, I couldn't quite convince myself that that was the only reason I was upset.

The muggle movie was a romantic comedy. It was so predictable that my mind started to wander away from it and towards things I didn't want to think about; towards things that had my throat squeezing tightly around tears. I stuffed another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth, cringing at the coldness and hoping the painful numbing sensation would distract me. It didn't.

Images of Fred and I swam behind my eyelids. I could almost feel him next to me on the couch for a second. In my dream world, his arm would brush mine and our fingers would lace together, and Fred would make some comment about how stupid the film was. The image in my head jumped, and suddenly I was no longer in our cramped living room. The television screen faded as I got lost in my mind.

It felt like I was there, so real I could taste it. I was laying under the tent on Valentine's Day, draped around Fred so tightly that I forgot where he began and I ended. We were blissfully naked and I could feel his every muscle, every coarse and downy hair that lay upon his skin.

"I love you," he whispered in my ear, caressing the words with his tongue and making love to my heart with his words.

His voice wrapped around those words in the same way that his body wrapped itself around mine. The whispered sounds repeated over and over in my head like a skipping tape on repeat. The words slid back and forth in my head, reverberating against my skull, sinking into my bones, and molding with my soul.

I could almost forget that he wasn't there with me, saying the words to me at that very second. I could almost forget that I was watching a film on the telie. Instead, I watched my own slideshow behind my eyes.

The tape skipped again, and I saw his eyes light up on a spring day that promised hope. It skipped once more, and I found myself in the comforting darkness. It was one of those nights where I slept curled around his body in the same way he had wrapped himself around my heart like a vine. I found myself slowly waking up to his mouth on my neck and his hand on my waist, and when I blearily gazed up at him, he smiled, because he felt it too.

He kissed me desperately and he clung to me like a thick blanket of fog. He told me that my eyes were his favorite color. He whispered promises of our future.

If anybody had asked me then, I would have told them that we were like the ocean, never growing older and never growing apart. But just like the sea, the wave of our pure, peaceful love had crashed on the shore with a thunder that I had never seen before, and it happened so quickly that I sometimes wondered if it really happened at all. In those moments, I almost forgot that it happened at all.

I remembered thinking that I had never been more happy in my life. The months when I was with him were the most transparent in my life. Sometimes, when I wasn't paying attention or when I wasn't keeping my guard up or when I was just too tired to fight it, like now, I could literally feel the graze of his fingertips against the underside of my chin. I could taste his lips against mine. I could see his face, staring down at me, that half-smile dancing in his eyes. He looked so young. He looked so free. He looked so _perfect_. His face leaned down against mine and he held me there, captivated, as his lips brushed, just slightly, against mine.

I remembered thinking that my lips were getting a little raw. I remembered knowing I would miss the feeling of those well-kissed lips. I remembered holding him a little bit closer when the sun set every night, knowing another one of our perfect days had passed.

I could see the way his leg bounced in nervous excitement after a quidditch match, and the way his body leaned forward as he waited for me to come out of the stands, as though his body was seeking out mine unconsciously. I could see when he finally had me standing in front of him, after days of sneaking around George and not being able to be alone, and I fell into his arms, easily, and he caught me.

I saw the moment when he tilted my face up to his for the first time, when his lips touched mine for those first few seconds. It wasn't electric. It wasn't home. It was nervous and awkward and we were embarrassed and afraid. We hadn't known what the other expected of us. But it was still perfect.

I never wanted to forget the way his lips felt, or the way his eyes held mine as I kissed his stomach. I never wanted to forget the way his hand felt in mine, or the way his fingertips felt when they ran through my hair. I never wanted to forget the utter calmness of sleeping with him, of falling into the abyss of slumber with him at my side, keeping me anchored. I never wanted to forget the way he woke me up in the morning with kisses and nuzzling. I never wanted to forget his sleepy voice.

When I realized I had started crying, had almost started sobbing, I started to lose my temper. I angrily got up and stomped over to the alcohol cabinet. This called for something more than just ice cream. I pulled out a bottle of firewhiskey and a bottle of vodka and forewent the glasses. When I sat back down, I realized that over half of my ice cream tub was gone.

I stared blankly at the shadowed television, tried to focus on the movie, cradled my vodka bottle. Images burned behind my tired eyes and words rang in deaf ears. Questions littered my brain, swirling and congealing like spilt blood on a white carpet. Each emotion fought for control, my thoughts battled for dominance. A million pictures passed before my eyes. Memories replayed like a skipping muggle VCR tape.

I tried to push it all away, angry and tired. I tried to push away the images, the words, the questions, the emotions, the thoughts, the pictures, the memories- all of it. I thought up ways to distract myself, ways to make the cacophony of pain disappear. I took a long swig of alcohol, feeling it burn on the way down.

The blinding, searing, jumbled feelings were always there in the background. The more I drank the less I could differentiate between the emotions. The less I could differentiate _period_. I felt numb sometimes, if only for a moment. It was then that I remembered why I had gone into that brief bout of alcoholism. It made things disappear. It made things blend together, it made them easier, it made them quieter. I needed to let every painful word, voice, and image fall from my skull. I needed to just _forget_.

The images kept flickering, a slideshow on repeat with snippets of laughter, of smiles, of tears, of words, haunting me relentlessly. The memories would not relent, and neither would the tangled web of emotions, so like a ball of yarn that had been thrown to the wind, unraveled, and then uselessly collected into a knotted heap. But at least it was quieter now.

* * *

I woke up angry.

I didn't think about how I was still quite drunk or about the empty vodka bottle, the uncorked firewhiskey jug, or the melted ice cream. I was irritated, uncomfortable, and pissed off at Fred. For what? For everything.

I woke up wanting to throw things. And break the television. And push my pen so hard through a piece of paper that the pen breaks. And scream so loud that the birds fly away. I woke up wanting to push Fred against a wall. I woke up wanting to yell at him until my lungs felt flayed and raw, and wanting to punch him in the chest until he was covered in bruises.

I woke up to the sound of a door opening. At four in the morning.

It was Fred, naturally. He was tiptoeing his way inside the apartment, his face a cute twist of concentration and stealth. His shirt was crumpled. He has eased the door shut behind him carefully and I could see just his chest up from where I laid on the couch. I didn't even have to blink the sleep from my eyes. Everything about him just _pissed me off_.

It was a good thing that George and Verity hadn't come home that night, because I would have woken them up.

I was in front of Fred. I was screaming, but I could barely even understand what I was saying. Anger and alcohol blurred my lines of smart and stupid. My hand connected with hard, solid muscle. Fred's face swam in front of my eyes, but I was too far gone to see his expression.

My voice was slurred from anger and from vodka, and I was shouting, my face close to his and my fist hitting his chest again. "You think you can just shirk your duties at the shop, don't you? You're so arrogant now. _Ooh_, Fred's all rich and successful. He can do whatever he wants. He can close up shop early just to go fuck some useless hag. Did you enjoy it Fred? Was it good? Did she taste like slut? I bet you-"

Fred grabbed my arm tightly in his, gripping it so hard I could practically feel the bruise form. "Hey! She's not a slut! Karila is nice, and pretty, and she's a real woman. She's mature. She doesn't get drunk on her couch while she's home alone and then start randomly hitting her friends because she's lonely!" I yanked my arm out of his and stepped back.

"Oh, so I'm the immature one then, am I? At least I don't go out finding comfort in some whore's willing body! I spent my night home alone, as you said, and yes, getting drunk, because guess what, asshole? I can't even watch television without seeing pictures of you flash across my mind! I can't get ONE second of fucking peace, can I? What, do you haunt me on purpose? All I can see, all I can think, all I can hear is you! Everything comes back to you. Fuck it. I'm just so MAD at you. At the situation. I'm so angry at everything and I want you to go fuck yourself." I struggled against him, fighting when he tried to grab on to me, to control me. I struck out, hitting him across the face, and smiling a little at the _smack_ it made.

"_You're_ mad at _me_? How the hell do you figure that, Blayne? I'm the one who begged you to take me back. Remember that? On my birthday, no less! You're the one that tortures me every day. You act like you don't even _care_ and that's what hurts the most. You can be such a bitch sometimes! One second you care about me. You want to be _friends_ and you _smile_ at me and it's almost like you're bloody flirting. And then you're cold, and distant, and it's like you don't even remember how it feels. Like you don't remember how it feels to want someone so bad your whole body is screaming at you to just _take_. It's like you don't remember me, you don't remember when we laid together for hours telling each other our greatest fears and our greatest hopes. You're hot and cold all the time and MERLIN, it's like I don't even bloody know you anymore! Sometimes I think that you like teasing me, that you know you're _killing_ me and you do it on purpose. And the worst part is that I still bloody care! I still fucking love you! _**And you don't even notice**_!"

He's up in my face, but I can't see, I can't hear, I can't move beyond the blood pounding in my ears.

So I hit him again. "Don't you dare try to take the high road here, you _prick_. Don't you dare say you _love_ me." My voice got higher and cracked, and I wondered if that was even possible. "You made me fall in love with you, you said these _things_ and you went and _fell in love with me_, and then you fucked me over while I was sick, when I NEEDED you. I was trying to fix myself, for _you_! But you were with her. You made me feel awful about myself. I was the bitch, the whore, the alcoholic idiot. But you were the asshole, you were the cheater, you were the _idiot_ who I fell in love with!" My throat was starting to get raw, but I ignored it. I didn't feel anything but emotions and anger and a deep, dark need to shout and scream and hit. And I gave into it.

I hit Fred with both hands now, my fists banging against his chest. He grabbed at my arms uselessly, weakly trying to control me, but it wasn't going to work. I wouldn't let him _subdue_ me again. I wasn't his to control.

"We were in LOVE. And look how far that got us, huh? We had passion. We had fire. And then you just gave it ALL up, because some whore had a willing pussy. You're just a lazy, lying asshole and I _hate_ that you're all I think about. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you." It was a mantra, the last words that I could say, the only words that I could say. I could feel the fight start to drain out of me as surely as I could feel my pulse jumping in my throat. "I hate you. I _hate_ you."

Fred grabbed at my arms again, at my fists where they hit him in a faltering beat that matched my pounding heart. My face was a mess, ugly with snot and tears. My body screamed exhaustion and my voice waned and faltered, scratchy with overuse. This time, I couldn't fight him off.

He pulled me to him and I let myself be pulled. I collapsed into his arms, my body going lax against him, and I cried. I sobbed and burrowed my face into his wrinkled shirt. He folded me in his arms. He held me tight, murmuring quiet "shh"s behind my ear, and kissing my tangled and sweaty hair.

Everything was just so mixed and jumbled. The alcohol and the anger had numbed it, but it was all wearing away now, and it was rushing back. It was making me sick, and my head hurt, and I was nauseous and achy and my eyes hurt. I was so tired and Fred was so warm.

I don't remember being picked up or being placed in Fred's bed. I don't remember the covers being pulled over me. I definitely don't remember Fred curling his body around mine protectively in a way that was all too familiar.

* * *

**Hey dudes, so I have one more chapter to this book and then I'm going to start another book in this series. I'm not quite sure what I want the name of book two to be, but it has to go along with the title of this one. So some of my ideas are**

**_Love is our shelter_**

**_Love is our all_**

**_Loves is our cause_**

**_Love will lead us all_**

**_Love is our armour_**

**_Love is our home_**

**Let me know what you think, I'm open to suggestions!**

**Thanks!**


	41. Discovering Me, Discovering You

**So this is a chapter that I've been looking forward to writing for a long time now. It took me a long time to try and figure out how to write it, but I hope I finally got it. It's such an important chapter (because it ends the First Book) that I found two songs that worked well for it. The first one was my inspiration (and I know I've already used it for their first time, but this song is like my idea of the ultimate sex song). The second one is what really is kind of happening with the Blayne and Fred in this part.**

**It's also the first official sex scene that I've written after actually having the experience, so I think it's more… realistic? I hope. I dunno. **

**Reviews are very much appreciated, as are votes on the poll I mentioned earlier. It's a tie for like four titles right now!**

**Here it is, the last and long-awaited chapter of Book One of the Love is Our Weapon series! It's been a long road, but I feel pretty accomplished that we made it this far. **

**With love and respect,**

**Audrey xx**

* * *

**"Your Body Is A Wonderland" by John Mayer**

_We got the afternoon/You got this room for two/One thing I've left to do/Discover me/Discovering you_

_One mile to every inch of/Your skin like porcelain/One pair of candy lips and/Your bubblegum tongue_

_'Cause if you want love/We'll make it/Swimming a deep sea/Of blankets/Take all your big plans/And break 'em/This is bound to be a while_

_Your body Is a wonderland/Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)/Your body Is a wonderland_

_Something 'bout the way the hair falls in your face/I love the shape you take when crawling towards the pillowcase/You tell me where to go and/Though I might leave to find it/I'll never let your head hit the bed/Without my hand behind it_

_you want love?/We'll make it/Swimming a deep sea/Of blankets/Take all your big plans/And break 'em/This is bound to be a while_

_Your body Is a wonderland/Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)/Your body Is a wonderland_

_Damn baby/You frustrate me/I know you're mine all mine all mine/But you look so good it hurts sometimes_

_Your body Is a wonderland/Your body is a wonder (I'll use my hands)/Your body Is a wonderland/Your body is a wonderland_

* * *

I was floating somewhere in between a dream and reality, suspended in that moment right before you wake up when everything is foggy and comfortably vague. The sun brushed bare skin and thawed the stiffness of unused muscles. I half-heartedly fought against the heaviness of sleep, wondering if I could just stay in bed all day. I was so warm and comfortable, cozy and snug, surrounded by heavy sheets and a multitude of pillows.

Unfortunately, the pounding in my head did not agree with my plans on cat-napping the day away. With a groan, I flipped over and nuzzled my face against my pillow in a feeble attempt to will myself back to sleep. When I realized that it wasn't going to work, I let out a heavy sigh and stretched my toes, flexing my heels down and my calves out. Reluctantly, I pried first one eyelid and then the other open. I blinked at the bright light that flooded the tiny bedroom.

Groggily, I sat up and grabbed at my head. The world swam in front of my eyes for a few moments before it righted itself and blinked at me obnoxiously. I grumbled and looked to my left, to the little nightstand beside the bed, and found a glass of water and a flute of potion. Gratefully, I snatched both of them. I swallowed the potion in a single gulp and chased it with water, knocking back the whole thing in a few seconds. Immediately I started to feel the pressure in my head lessen.

More clear-headed now, my eyebrows knit together as I looked at the comforter beneath my hands. Slowly, my sluggish brain connected the events of last night. With a long, suffering groan, I fell back into the pillows and threw my arm across my eyes. Sleeping the day away was starting to look like a really, really good option.

* * *

When I did finally get myself out of bed, in the shower, and dressed so that I looked like a functioning member of the wizarding world, I cautiously pushed the door to Fred's room open and held my breath. Maybe he wasn't even here. Maybe he was working. Or maybe, I cringed at the thought, he was out with that bint from last night.

But no, fortune was determined to make my life miserable.

Fred sat at the kitchen table, the Daily Prophet in front of him and a half-eaten bowl of fruit to his right. With a cup of tea. And the was another, untouched bowl and mug sitting across from him. What cruel things had I done in my past life to deserve this?

Rolling my eyes heavenward in a silent prayer, I took the seat across from Fred and picked up my fork. I tried to ignore the perfection of my tea while I waited for him to say something. How did he always know exactly how much milk I liked? Without looking up, Fred cheerfully asked, "Sleep well?"

What? That was it? "Um, yeah. Brilliantly, thanks." He nodded and took another sip from his favorite Ireland National Quidditch Team teacup, flipping the page of the newspaper and making a "humph" noise at it. I frowned into my tea. Were we just not going to mention the huge dragon in the room?

I was half finished with my lunch before he spoke again. "George and Verity popped in around ten this morning, changed, and said they'd be back for dinner. Said something about Verity's mum asking them round for brunch."

I nodded and made a noncommittal noise, my eyes finding the clock behind the stove. It was already twelve in the afternoon. Biting my lip and mentally girding my loins, I took a deep breath and began, "So, about last night-"

"Don't worry about it. There's nothing to talk about."

He didn't even look up. He turned the page again.

My eyebrows furrowed. I had been doing that a lot this morning. "What do you mean, 'don't worry about it'?" I was finished with a last sip of tea and made a motion with my hand. "I- I mean, we-"

"Like I said. Nothing to talk about."

I made a frustrated noise in the back of my throat and got up to wash our dishes. I needed distance from him so that I could think. How was he acting like it was no big deal? I was drunk, and everyone knows that I'm a painfully honest drunk. What I said last night—and I struggled through the haze of alcohol and anger to cringe over the way I had behaved and what I had yelled about—it was embarrassing, but it was true. Except for the hating part. I didn't hate him. I couldn't hate him, not when… not when I still loved him.

And, I realized (and nearly dropped the plate in the sink), Fred had said he loved me too. He said he _loves_ me. Present tense. As in still, currently, today, _right now_. I put the plate carefully in the sink, trying to calm my thudding heart, and turned to Fred who had still not acknowledged me.

"No, Fred, there really is something to talk about. And I really think we _should_ talk about it." My hands found their way to my hips and I tried to look confidently at him but I was finding it difficult to remain in control when "I still fucking love you!" was replaying over and over in my head.

He did look up then. His expression was the same as it had always been, ruggedly handsome and disarmingly charming, and his eyes held mine with unchanged fierceness. And I realized, in that moment, that Fred was my weakness. He always had been, ever since we were children. George would make me laugh, comfort me, do all the things that best friends should, but it was Fred that would convince me to sneak out of my room in the middle of the night and meet the twins in our tree house. It was Fred who I would steal candy for and who I let kiss me when I was five.

He was the chink in my armour, the hole in my wall, the fissure in my plan. I recognized, in myself and in him, two halves of the same spirit. We had grown up side-by-side and we had developed into who we were because of the other person. He was like the fledgling tree and I the vine, and we had matured around each other and with each other. We had grown to adulthood entangled together. There was no longer any way to untangle ourselves from the formation we had grown in. We had formed around each other and were now two halves of the same whole, twisted into a permanent formation of twisted shapes and curves that meant nothing unless matched with the missing pieces.

I could run away from Fred all I wanted, and I could cut our ties and I could build myself a life without him, but I would always come back to him. I would always fall to my knees and let him in. He was irresistible. He was my Achilles' heel and my tragic flaw. I knew that even after months of being apart from him, I wasn't truly untangled from him. I had tried to discover myself, but I knew now that I wasn't the best version of myself unless I was with him. I couldn't be myself, truly, unless I stopped fighting what I really wanted, what I really needed. Unless I let him in.

So I did. I let my guard down. I let the walls that I had painstakingly built fade away and crumble like rusted iron. I allowed myself, for the first time in months, to stop denying what I wanted. I stopped pushing him out, away, off, and I let him in. I let him crawl back into my heart. And it wasn't hard. I didn't have to make room for him again. I found that he still had an empty spot waiting for him there, cobweb-covered and long-abandoned. But it was there nonetheless. Try as I might, I hadn't been able to mend my heart after he had torn that hole into it. It had barely even scabbed over. And I thought that I would have to get used to that crack there and learn to live around it, but I found now that I didn't need to. He found a way to fill it without me even noticing.

I don't know when he moved towards me, but suddenly he was there, holding me in his arms and enveloping me into his heart. I barely had time to admire the way his white wife beater clung to his defined chest like a second skin, or the low-slung jeans that hung off his hips tantalizingly. I threw my arms around his neck and pressed my body close to his. When his lips brushed mine, I felt the missing part of my life fall into place like a forgotten puzzle piece. I could almost hear the "click" of it.

My eyes drifted closed, and we stood there frozen, our mouths barely touching. We were so close that I could feel his heart thump against mine. His breath ghosted over my bottom lip and tasted sweet on my tongue. He tasted like tea, and strawberries, and that untouchable, unique mix of danger and home.

"_Fred_." My voice was barely loud enough for me to hear it, but the words formed on his lips and caused our noses to bump. He groaned and, as if he had been holding himself behind an invisible line, let go and fell into me.

It was like a switch had gone off. His lips molded to mine and he pushed my head back with the force of his mouth. His teeth tugged at my bottom lip and I let my mouth fall open. His tongue slipped through some invisible barrier and he licked at the seam of my lips. I grabbed onto the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him impossibly closer. My spine tingled and I tried to ignore the feel of my heart thumping beneath my chest.

His tongue delved into my mouth and licked at the roof of my mouth before retreating, and we began a game of advance-withdraw. My skin was heating up, the blood thrumming in my veins. Fred grabbed onto my arse and squeezed. I let out a humming noise of contentment that vibrated against his lips. I arched my back so that my breasts pressed more fully against his chest and my ass pressed into his hands. He exhaled noisily. I loved the feel of his hands through the coarse denim of my jean shorts, pulling, pushing, kneading.

One of his hands came up to grab onto my breast through the thin fabric of my tank top. I bit at his lip, harder than intended, and I just barely stopped myself from letting out an embarrassing noise. My brain had gone blank, and I couldn't think around the repeating mantra of _want-need-have_. Our kiss got hotter, wetter, messier. I felt like I was jumping out of my skin.

"Bed," I mumbled around his lips. He groaned in agreement and pulled backwards by his grip on my ass and my breast. Impatient, and not wanting to wait until the bedroom, I slid my hands down his broad shoulders and down his sides until I reached the bottom of his wife beater. I tugged at it, pulling it up and over his head, regretfully leaving his lips for point two seconds while I lifted it off of him. Feverishly, as if he couldn't bear to have his lips apart from mine, Fred's mouth suctioned back to mine the minute his lips got free. I hummed against his mouth and pressed my body into his again, throwing his shirt somewhere behind me.

Our progress was slow, because we spent more time lost in each other than focusing on getting to the bedroom. Fred used the hand that was cupped around my breast to pull the tank top up until the elastic of the built-in bra rested just above the swell of my chest. He lifted his hand to pull at my right nipple, pinching with just enough pressure to make me pant.

"I want you." He whispered the words reverently against my lips. I grabbed onto his back, squeezing his shoulder blades as I tried to stop my brain from short-circuiting at his words. Merlin, he knew all my turn ons.

I hadn't noticed that we reached the bed until he flipped us around so that I was standing by the edge. He used the force of his body to push us both down, and I collapsed into the downy mattress with Fred's secure weight on top of me. He moved his mouth away from my lips after a last bite on the bottom one and instead attached his mouth to my neck, licking from behind my ear to my collar bone.

I fisted my hand in his hair, pressing my head back into the pillow as desire flew through my bones. He moved downwards with his mouth, licking and nipping, until he got to the edge of my top. He stared at the article like it offended him, and I watched him with my bottom lip between my teeth as he grabbed both sides of it and quickly tore it up and off my body. Wasting no time, his mouth found its way to my left nipple and his hand to my right.

I squeezed my eyes shut at the onslaught of sensation, gripping his hair tightly and pushing his face harder into me. He sucked at one nipple and rolled the sensitive bud of the other. I pushed my hips into his and he let out a long, throaty groan that did delicious things to the throbbing of my clit. The friction of both our jeans and his thick, solid length pressing against me had my head spinning. I gyrated up into him, clutching at his back while he pushed me into the bed and pinned my hips beneath his.

He moved down and out of the reach of my hands, and I grabbed onto the bedspread underneath me, trying desperately to calm the thudding of my heart. He slowed down the pace then, licking with long, sure strokes down over my firm stomach and around the dip of my bellybutton. His tongue traced over the star tattoos on my left hipbone, the black ink just peaking out over the top of my shorts. I watched him with heavy-lidded eyes, shivering at the touch of the tip of his tongue on the sensitive skin under the ink. Somehow he remembered that that always drove me wild.

He looked up at me then, smirking a little as he slid his fingers around the button of my jeans. He pulled the button free and slid the teeth of the zipper down, and I shivered at the sound of it, echoing in the otherwise quiet room. He slid the shorts down and off my legs and then came back up to hook his fingers into the two thin straps of my lacy thong. He looked like he was contemplating with himself for a minute, and I brought my knee up to knock him in the side of the head. "Take them off." My voice sounded hoarse even to my own ears.

He chuckled and nodded slightly, swiftly pulling the offending article down. Then, with his right index finger, he followed the sharp jut of my left hipbone. The pad of his finger traced over the soft skin where my hip met my thigh. He followed his hand with his eyes, staring at me with an expression that made me want to pull him into me right then, patience be damned. He traced the lines of my family tattoo, his top lipped tilted up in something suspicious of a half-smile. When he dropped his eyes back down to his fingers, his lips fell to my skin and he sucked a deep pink mark onto my hip. I moaned too low for either of us to hear. Seriously, he knew how much I loved when he marked me. It was like he was making it his mission to pull out all the things that he knew drove me wild.

As hot as it was to watch him worship me, I needed him to touch me. And not on my thigh.

I grabbed his hair and with a hard, sure yank, I pulled his face up and to the glistening folds between my thighs. His eyes looked up towards me again, catching my expression, and I nearly hissed when his eyes started to laugh at me silently, twinkling in amusement. "_Please_," I begged. He let out a loud exhale, and I knew why. My voice sounded _wrecked_.

"You know, it's been too damn long since I've seen your hair like that." He was going for light and nonchalant, I knew, but the deep timbre of his voice, scratchy like it was fighting around a lump in his throat, betrayed him. He was just as fucked as I was feeling. I hummed in agreement, quietly pleading for him to just touch me already, and he answered my unasked question.

His lips found my clit, the tip of his tongue dancing around the piece of flesh until my legs started to shake. My head fell back with a thump and I grabbed onto the pillow next to my head fiercely, trying to stop my legs from moving. Two of his fingers slid between my folds, barely touching. My eyebrows drew together and my head tilted to the left, fighting against the overwhelming pleasure. When he was satisfied that his fingers were slick enough, and when he was convinced that I was wet enough, he pulled my lips apart and watched with hooded eyes as his two fingers slipped into me. "Fred," I whined, drawing out the line as he drew out of me in quick, sure thrusts. My hands found his shoulders and I pushed.

His eyes found mine, and they twinkled in the sunlight. Mischievously. If there was ever a time I wished he wouldn't look at me like that, it was now.

His fingers twisted at the exact moment his tongue snuck out to lick at me again, and his eyes were still locked with mine, and his fingers found that spot inside me that made stars explode behind my eyes. I keened, tightening my grip on his shoulders and digging my nails into his skin. He dropped his eyes back to what he was doing and watched as his fingers slipped out, the light catching on the moisture there. He dropped his mouth to lick at his fingers and then watched as they disappeared into me again, hitting that same spot.

I thought I was going to die. I was making obscene noises, unaware of what I was even trying to say anymore. Half-formed words turned into moans, turned into groans and whimpers. My knees came up around his head and my right leg moved next to his head. I hummed as I felt his hair tickle the inside of my knee. He picked up the pace, going faster and deeper and I couldn't watch anymore. His fingers turned into a blur and I closed my eyes against the sensations, tilting my head back and biting desperately at my lip. My hands slid down his back, scratching up with abandon.

Just like every single other time, my eyes started to tear up as I got close. I never knew why, but something about the overwhelming sensations had me nearly crying. He felt the tightening of my legs around his head and looked up at me devilishly. He caught the glimmer of wetness on my eyes and the begging that fell from my lips, and Fred held my gaze as he pushed into me one last time. His fingers curled up against my pussy, hitting my g-spot with his knuckles as the tips of his fingers grazed the sensitive skin. I came with a keening cry, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes.

I floated to the ceiling, starbursts behind my eyes and my whole body feeling like jelly. I was panting when I came back down from the most incredible orgasm I had had in months. My legs were shaking, and Fred was making soothing shapes on my thighs as he calmed me down. I pried my eyes open and smiled down at him weakly. He just laughed.

"You never do disappoint, Mr. Weasley." My voice was scratchy, raw from the noises I had made. I knew it would be even worse later, after I had gotten him inside me.

He chuckled and came up to kiss me tenderly on the cheek. The thumb of his unused hand wiped at the tears on my cheeks, and I smiled lazily at him. He smiled back and ducked his head to drop a simple kiss on my lips.

I rubbed my hands over his back, feeling the abrasions from my nails and almost feeling sorry about it. Almost. I nudged him to his back with my hips, and he turned and fell so that I was straddling his thighs. Fully awake now and basking in the wonderful afterglow of my orgasm, I skimmed my fingers down his neck. I pressed them gently against the pulse point at the base of his throat and then trailed them down, gliding over both his nipples and smiling when he hissed. I moved down, over toned indentations in his chest and through coarse hair at his hips. He was still wearing his jeans, and I made quick work of them, pulling them down and over his hips along with his boxers.

I wasted no time. My hand grasped his dick, feeling it strong and sure beneath my fingers. He was thick and hard, a bead of precum on the tip, his head flushed a delicate pink. I stroked him quickly thrice and hummed happily when his hand curled into a fist at his left hip.

I slid down his body, caressing his skin as I dropped down. I licked and nipped at a freckle on his side before gliding my teeth over the sharp angle of his hipbone. He hissed and thrust up into my mouth. I just chuckled into his skin.

I reached the junction where his thighs met his pelvis and I wrapped my hands around his broad hips, reaching around to grab onto the firmness of his ass. I lifted my eyes to his and he watched me steadily, a little daringly, as I opened my mouth wide and slid it down over his dick in one swift glide.

"Oh God." Fred's moan was low and throaty and wonderful, and I had to stop my thighs from clenching at the sound. I bobbed my head up, swirled my tongue around the head, and then slid back down in time with the beating of my heart in my ears. I clenched his arse once, and he groaned, before I slid it around to his front to hold his balls tenderly in my hands. I loved the feel of them pressing down into my hand. I rolled them between my palm, smirking at the twitch in Fred's leg when I did so. I moved my hand away and slid my lips down and away from his dick to lick at the tender web of skin, taught around his sac. His hands grabbed onto my hair and held me to him. I clenched his arse again and he tugged on my hair, pulling my mouth away from him and looking up at him, a question in my eyes.

"I wanna fuck your mouth," he groaned. A shiver slid up my spine and I nodded, letting my eyes slide back to where pearly drops of his precum were sliding down his length. I opened my mouth and relaxed my throat. Hovering just over his dick, I waited for him to thrust up into me. He didn't disappoint.

His hips pushed upwards at the same time he yanked my hair downwards. My mouth made vibrations against his dick as I came down. With every thrust, he made a little huffing noise, and his cock nudged the back of my throat. I loved when he dominated me like this, when he took control. I could feel the burning sensation in the pit of my stomach again, already so soon after I had come.

He thrust into me relentlessly, and the faces he was making made my nipples tingle. His moans vibrated all the way down to my toes. Fred's face was always expressive, and this was no different. He face was pinched, like he was concentrating and having a hard time staying focused. His mouth was open in a wide "o" and his breathing was fast and laboured. He looked like he was fighting to hold on, like he was absolutely _destroyed_.

He looked like I felt.

And then he was pulling me up and off of him. His arms let go of my hair and held on to my hips, dragging me up and flipping me over. He pushed me into the bed and bent down to kiss me, his mouth open and wet and his tongue invading mine. We fought this time, me pushing against him and he trying to regain the upper hand. His fingers grazed my nipples as he pressed me fully into the mattress. I felt every hard plane of his body press into mine. Our kiss was dirty and filthy. The smacking sounds were loud in the air of the room, and it would have embarrassed me if I wasn't so far gone.

Fred grabbed my left hip and pulled my leg around his waist. I was already wet again and far gone, and I was still slick and relaxed from my orgasm. With one hand on his dick and the other on the thigh that was around his waist, he found my opening and slid into me.

The fullness made me keen into his mouth. Our lips just laid against each other now while we focused all of our energy on where he was pushing into my slick passage. I clutched at his shoulders, squeezing. It had been a long time since someone had fucked me, and I was tight. I felt the pressure against every side and fought to control the loud cry that was fighting its way out of my throat. It didn't work, and I would have cringed at the noise I made if it were any other time.

It took a little adjusting, but when he bottomed out, we both let out a simultaneous, satisfied groan. He was everywhere—around me, in me, on top of me, under my skin. We were breathing on each other, the simplicity of the act making my heart thump. God, I really did love him.

He moved away from my lips, but before I had a chance to protest, he nuzzled into my neck and pulled his hips back. One of my hands flung out to grasp the side of his chest as he tilted back into me, the force pushing me back into the headboard. He marked me at my neck while simultaneously creating a deep and slow pace. I felt it all the way to my soul. He pushed, retreated, thrust, withdrew. I moved both hands up under his arms and bit my nails into the freckled skin of his back because I couldn't help myself. I lifted my other leg to meet the first around his waist, digging my heels into his arse. I felt his breath, moist and comforting, on the damp skin of my neck.

I tilted my hips up to meet his thrust for thrust. He was getting faster, more reckless. His thrusts became shallower and quicker, the snap of his hips sending me reeling. I held on to him for dear life.

"Fred, Fred, Fred." His voice was like a mantra falling from my lips. I was delirious with need, my body humming with desire. I felt the coil in my stomach start to compress, tightening around the wildness of my emotions. I brought my mouth down to the side of his face, to any part of him I could reach, and he turned his face to lock his lips with mine. The kiss was deep and wet and messy, and we bit at each other's lips like we couldn't help ourselves.

He leaned off of me, taking his body away and replacing it with the humid air of the room. It curled around my body like a phantom of his touch. He was kneeling now, still seated deep inside me. He grabbed onto my ass with both hands and tilted my pelvis up and towards him. A wild noise escaped me as the change in position made his cock slide against that sensitive spot in my pussy.

He pulled me towards him, using my hips to force me onto his dick. I unlocked my legs from around his hips and let them fall to the bed beside me, limp and sore from being held so tightly. I grabbed his forearm in a vice grip. The room was quiet except for the sounds of skin slapping skin and the uncontrollable hisses and "umphs" that we were both making. He picked up his speed, pounding into me, his pace faltering.

I could tell that he was about to come. His fingers tightened around my ass, spreading the separate globes as he held on. I was close, too. My body was winding up like a child's toy. My fingers dug into his muscle. "Fred, please. Please!"

He nodded, pushing his mouth into mine viciously. Our teeth knocked together and he moaned into my mouth when I tightened around him. He was pressing relentlessly into that spot inside me with every thrust. He pulled his lips off of mine, licked his fingers, and reached them down between our bodies. I jumped when I felt two of them against my clit.

"Come for me baby. Let go." He whispered the words into my hair, and I couldn't stop the coil from springing up, taking me with it. I came with a loud, breathy keen, my eyebrows knit together as though I was in pain. Tears leaked out from behind my closed eyes and I felt everything and nothing all at once.

I felt him rush into me after I tightened around him. He kept pushing into me as he exploded, riding out his orgasm. It was wet and warm, his come sliding through me like molten lava.

When he was spent, and when I came back down from my high, he grabbed onto my lax body and rolled us so that he was on his back. He was still inside me, but I couldn't formulate thoughts anymore. I collapsed on top of him, draping my body around him like a human blanket. My whole body was exhausted, the tension flowing out of my muscles as they turned to mush around me.

We laid like that and I lost track of time. My eyelids had slid shut, my brain had shut off, and I was just about to fall into the oblivion of sleep. I felt him, distantly, slide out and lay next to me. He pulled my head onto his chest and entwined our hands together, resting them on the pillow next to me. I smiled limply and slid into the dark quietness of sleep.

Through the muddled abstractness of that moment right before sleep catches you, I felt Fred kiss my forehead. His lips left a warm mark above my brow. I felt content. It felt like I had just taken a long journey, had slept in foreign beds in strange lands, and I was just now coming home and slipping under my own, comfortable, familiar duvet.

I felt, rather than heard, a whispered "I love you" settle into my hair, and then I greeted sleep with a smile and a hug.

* * *

I woke up naked, entwined with Fred. Our limbs were tangled in each other's, and it took me a few minutes to realize where I was and what awoke me.

I heard voices outside the bedroom, and with a heavy sigh I got out of bed and pulled on Fred's boxers and one of his crumpled button-downs. I rubbed at my eyes as I opened the door, and frowned when I found Verity and George giggling and flinging Fred's wifebeater around the kitchen.

"Really? What are we, two?" I rolled my eyes and stalked over to them, grabbing the piece of clothing and flinging it into our room. I shut the door carefully behind me, trying not to wake Fred.

"Finally!" they both cried in unison. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes again. I walked over to the stove, putting my hands on my hips and trying to ignore them.

I answered their unasked questions, my tone bored. "Yes, yes. Fred and I finally shagged, and you two have been out for two days straight. That's what happens when you're gone for so long. Important life-altering events!" If I was honest, my heart was doing cartwheels in my chest. Fred was back in my life.

I grabbed a saucepan from the cabinet and some chicken and set out to start dinner, trying to block out the teasing from my mates. We ate dinner together that night, sat around the circular table in the kitchen. The late summer sun filtered in through the magicked window in the kitchen, bathing us in golden light.

I ate holding Fred's hand.

I hadn't realized, before, that something was missing from my life. But now that I had found it again, I was going to do whatever it took to keep it.

* * *

_**"Collide" by Howie Day**_

_The dawn is breaking/A light shining through/You're barely waking/And I'm tangled up in you/Yeah_

_I'm open, you're closed/Where I follow, you'll go/I worry I won't see your face/Light up again_

_Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the wrong words seem to rhyme/Out of the doubt that/fills my mind/I somehow find/You and I collide_

_I'm quiet you know/You make a first impression/I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind_

_Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the stars refuse to shine/Out of the back you fall in time/I somehow find/You and I collide_

_Don't stop here/I lost my place/I'm close behind_

_Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the wrong words seem to rhyme/Out of the doubt that fills your mind/You finally find/You and I collide_

_You finally find/You and I collide/You finally find/You and I collide_

**THANK YOU LOVELIES! I'd like to send a shout out to all those who encouraged me and helped me to write this. All those who PMed me, left reviews, alerted, and favorited. **

**I love you all. Stay tuned for Book Two!**


	42. For All Who Don't Know, a Reader's Note

For all of you fans who don't know, this book is completed but the story has continued! Please go to **Book Two: Love is Our Armour** (named for the wonderful people who voted in the poll) where the first chapter is posted and ready.

Thank you so much for sticking with me and Blayne. It means so much. You can find the next book on my profile or by searching the name in the search bar on or probably google.

Also, if you feel the need, I am on tumblr under the username "shes-a-beautifuldisaster" so come follow me! It's rainbow and butterflies and you'll get to know me as a person better (and I'm going to be putting up some spoilers if you guys do start to follow).

Thanks again, I love you all!

XX


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